46 THE BACTERIA IN ASIATIC CHOLERA. [CH. 



we have a comma-bacillus consisting of a common sheath, 

 and in it, at each end, a protoplasmic particle : finally, when 

 this sheath becomes divided transversely, the single comma- 

 bacillus has divided into two comma-bacilli. The shortest 

 comma-bacilli such as are present in all stools and mucus- 

 flakes, and which particularly abound where rapid multiplica- 

 tion occurs, are' composed of a sheath and a single proto- 

 plasmic element ; the longer and typical examples contain 

 two longer protoplasmic elements. The same structure can 

 by careful staining and washing be ascertained also in the 

 comma-bacilli of artificial cultures, not only of the choleraic 

 ones, but also of other species of comma-bacilli, as will be 

 mentioned below. 



B. Comma-bacilli in Artificial Cultivations. 



The finest and most typical forms of comma-bacilli are 

 obtained by placing, after the manner of Koch, a few mucus- 

 flakes of the contents of the ileum of a fresh case of cholera 

 on linen, and keeping this in a glass dish and under a bell- 

 glass, on the inside of which a piece of moist blotting-paper 

 has been fixed ; in other words, in a moist chamber, at a 

 temperature of about 2o-25C. After twenty-four to 

 thirty-six hours the comma-bacilli have enormously increased ; 

 numerous S" sna P e( i an d spirillar forms are met with. They 

 differ in no respect from those described in the fresh 

 intestinal contents. From an acute typical case of cholera, 

 dead within twelve hours, in the ileum of which there were 

 present large numbers of large and small mucus-flakes 

 suspended in a little watery fluid, masses of mucus-flakes 

 were taken and placed in a clean glass dish and covered up 

 with a glass plate, and left standing for three days. 

 Examination showed large numbers of various species of 



