436 INFECTIVE DISEASES. 



CULTIVATION OF ACTINOMYCES. 



Bostrom cultivated actinomyces from five cases in animals, and 

 from one case in man. In all cases he obtained a similar result. 

 The fungi were isolated from pus with sterilised needles, and placed 

 in liquefied nutrient gelatine in which they were teased out, and the 

 gelatine then spread on glass plates. The growth is stated to have 

 become visible in a few days. The fungi were isolated from the 

 plates, crushed between sterilised glass slides arid inoculated on the 

 surface of nutrient agar-agar and blood serum. In this way pure 

 cultivations were obtained. Nutrient gelatine was not liquefied. 

 The cultures in blood serum and agar-agar grew best at from 33 

 to 37 C. The track of inoculation gradually spread out during 

 the first two days, having a finely-granular, whitish appearance. 

 During the next few days small yellowish-red spots appeared in the 

 centre of the inoculated area, while the edge was apparently com- 

 posed of fine processes. The yellowish spots continued to increase 

 for about seven or eight days, and became confluent, and the 

 periphery also was dotted with yellowish-red points. Finally, there 

 were also isolated colonies consisting of a yellowish-red centre with 

 a greyish, downy periphery. The cultivated fungus, if suitably 

 stained, corresponded exactly with that found in human and 

 animal actinomycosis. In the cultures during the first two days 

 threads were found, with true branchings ; later the threads were 

 divided into shorter pieces or rods, and when the yellowish centres 

 appeared there were also a number of very short rods and cocci- 

 like forms. Bostrom also described attenuated club-shaped swell- 

 ings at the end of the threads. He concluded by saying that 

 Actinomyces is not one of the mould fungi, the central threads do 

 not therefore constitute a mycelium ; he was inclined to regard it 

 as a branched Claclothrix, and cultivation seemed to prove this. He 

 suggested that it might be the Streptothrix Forsteri of Cohn. In 

 any case he relegated Actinomyces to the fission fungi or bacteria. 



In 1888 the author made cultures on glycerine- agar from a case of 

 human actinomycosis of the thoracic wall. An abscess was opened, the 

 discharge collected in sterilised tubes, and cultivations prepared with 

 as little delay as possible. Some of the discharge was spread out on 

 a sterilised glass slide, and the grains isolated with sterilised needles 

 and quickly transplanted on the surface of the nutrient medium. 

 The tubes were placed in the incubator at 37 C., and the result 

 watched from day to day. For several days there was to the 

 naked eye no promise of success ; but gradually the grains began 



