68 DIPLOCOCCUS PNEUMONIA (FRANKEL) 



delicate growth of small, circular, discrete colonies 

 resembling closely those of Streptococcus Pyogenes. 

 The density of the colonies varies with the medium, 

 but they are generally transparent and dewdrop-like 

 with a slight thickening of the centre. 



Preparations from such a culture show character- 

 istic diplococci, but without capsule ; this is lost in 

 all forms of culture. In fluid media the micro- 

 organism occurs not only in the coccus form but also 

 as moderately long streptococci. The preparation 

 (Fig. 64) is from an agar-blood culture, but a few 

 chains of 3 or 4 elements are present. The hastate 

 shape of the individual cells is retained. 



