BACILLUS (EDEMATIS MALIGNI 95 



decidedly longer than those usually present in 

 Splenic Fever (Fig. 96). The bacilli are from 3 /u 

 to 6 ju in length, by '8 p to 1 p in breadth. The 

 subcutaneous fluid, as may be seen from the prepara- 

 tion, is remarkably rich in bacilli, which, however, 

 are not found in the blood in any considerable 

 numbers immediately on the death of the animal, 

 but increase rapidly later. In pleural and peritoneal 

 exudations the bacilli are found. From such oedema- 

 tous fluids cultures may be obtained in any of the 

 ordinary culture media (with the addition of glucose) 

 provided the material be cultivated anserobically, as 

 the organism is a strict anaerobe. In bouillon at 

 37 C. rapid growth takes place with an evolution 

 of gas and the production of a general turbidity of 

 the medium, which subsequently clears and leaves a 

 dense, white, flocculent mass at the bottom of the 

 tube. From a culture on agar, preparation Fig. 97 

 is made, and is seen to consist of a mixture of bacilli 

 in the vegetative form and spore-bearing bacilli. 

 The spores are frequently in the centre of the cells, 

 which become somewhat fusiform, but they are also 

 often more or less terminal, and in some cases the 

 organism closely resembles B. Tetani in appearance. 

 It will be seen, however, that the spore is more oval 

 and that there is always a prolongation of the 



