264 BACTERIA. 



ters of which were somewhat different from those ascribed 

 by Loffler and Schutz to their bacillus. 



As I have from time to time had opportunity of verifying 

 a number of the points insisted upon by these latter, and as it 

 is now generally accepted that the Loftier- Schutz bacillus 

 is the one really associated with the disease, this organism 

 may be briefly described. 



The best method of demonstrating the bacillus is to take a small particle 

 of the softened central part of a nodule and squeeze it out between two 

 cover glasses ; all superfluous matter from the edge is carefully removed, 

 and the covers are then treated in the ordinary way, after which they are 

 stained in a mixture of concentrated alcoholic solution of methyl blue, one 

 part to three parts of a I in 10,000 liquor potassoe solution ; the cover 

 glass is rinsed for about a second in a one per cent, solution of acetic acid 

 which has been tinged to the colour of Rhine wine by the addition of a 

 watery solution of tropoeolin. It is then quickly washed with distilled 

 water, then with absolute alcohol, cleared up with cedar-oil and mounted 

 in benzol- or xylol-balsam. Sections of a nodule that has been 

 hardened in absolute alcohol should first be placed for a few minutes in 

 weak caustic potash solution, after which they may be transferred to the 

 stain and treated as above. An even better method of staining is to use 

 Ziehl Neelsen carbolic fuchsin or carbolic methylene blue, and then to 

 decolorize the tissues with distilled water, or with a two per cent, solution of 

 hydrochloric acid. Kiihne's carbolic-methylene blue method may also be 

 be used for staining sections of tissues. 



After preparation there may be seen minute rods from 

 2.5 to 5/i in length, which are usually one-fifth to one- 

 eighth of their own length broad. They are always more 

 numerous where cell proliferation is going on most rapidly. 

 From the fact that these organisms do not take on any stain 

 at all readily, and also that they are very easily decolorized, 

 it is often an exceedingly difficult matter to distinguish 

 them from nuclei and nuclear detritus, both of which take 

 on staining material in much the same manner as the 

 bacilli, and it is only by the exercise of the greatest care 

 and by the use of the very best optical appliances that these 

 organisms can with certainty be distinguished in the tissues. 

 It is, therefore, all the more necessary to obtain pure culti- 

 vations of the glanders bacillus in order that its characters 

 may be accurately described, and to determine whether it 

 really plays an important etiological part in the production 

 of the disease. 



The first successful attempt to cultivate this specific 

 bacillus was made by Schutz in 1882. Adopting the strictest 



