252 GONORRHOEA AND SOFT SORE 



organisms have similar microscopic characters to those described 

 (Fig. 74), but show a remarkable tendency to undergo degenera- 

 tion, becoming swollen and of various sizes, and staining very 

 irregularly. Degenerated forms are seen even on the second 

 day, whilst in a culture four or five days old comparatively few 

 normal cocci may be found. The less suitable the medium the 

 more rapidly does degeneration take place. When mixed with 

 other organisms the gonococcus may be separated by serum agar 

 plates (p. 43). 



On ordinary agar and on glycerin-agar some growth may 

 take place when the reaction is just alkaline to litmus, but these 

 media are quite unsuitable for ordinary purposes. The organism 

 does not grow on gelatin, potato, etc. 



Comparison with Meningococcus. The morphological and 

 cultural characters of the gonococcus and meningococcus are 

 in many respect closely similar; the following points are of 

 importance in distinguishing them. The conditions of growth 

 of the gonococcus are more restricted than those of the meningo- 

 coccus. The gonococcus usually does not grow on the ordinary 

 agar media, whereas the meningococcus grows well, at least 

 after the first sub-culture. The colonies of the latter are more 

 opaque and have more regular margins than those of the 

 gonococcus. The meningococcus grows well in bouillon, pro- 

 ducing a general turbidity, whereas the gonococcus does not 

 grow ; even in serum bouillon the latter organism flourishes 

 feebly, and the scanty growth falls to the bottom leaving the 

 medium clear, whilst the meningococcus produces abundant 

 growth with general turbidity. The fermentative effects have 

 also been studied, and the chief results obtained are that glucose 

 is the only sugar usually employed which is fermented by the 

 gonococcus, whereas the meningococcus always ferments maltose 

 also. (For fermentative tests in the case of the gonococcus, 

 solid media, as introduced by v. Lingelsheim, should be used, 

 the serum medium of Martin, with litmus and the particular 

 sugar added, being specially suitable.) 



Specific serum reactions agglutination, opsonic action, 

 bactericidal action, and fixation of complement have been 

 studied by Torrey, Elser and Huntoon, and Martin, in the case 

 of the two organisms. The general results obtained are that 

 each organism represents a somewhat heterogeneous group 

 showing considerable variations as regards the tests mentioned. 

 An anti-gonococcus serum produced by injecting one strain of 

 gonococcus has the maximum effect on that strain, whilst its 

 Action on other strains may be much feebler so also with an 



