310 GLANDERS 



along the line as a uniform streak of greyish-white colour arid 

 somewhat transparent appearance, with moist-looking surface, 

 and when touched with a needle is found to be of rather slimy 

 consistence. Later it spreads laterally for some distance, and 

 the layer becomes of slightly brownish tint. 



On serum the growth is somewhat similar but more transparent, 

 the separate colonies being in the form of round and almost clear 

 drops. In sub-cultures on these media at the body temperature 

 growth is visible within twenty -four hours, but when fresh cultures 

 are made from the tissues it may not be visible till the second day. 

 Serum or potato, however, is much more suitable for cultivating 

 from the tissues than the agar media ; on the latter it is some- 

 times difficult to obtain growth. 



In broth, growth forms at first a uniform turbidity, but soon 

 settles to the bottom, and after a few days forms a pretty thick 

 flocculent deposit of slimy and somewhat tenacious consistence. 



On potato at 30 to 37 C. the glanders bacillus nourishes 

 well and produces a characteristic appearance, incubation at a 

 high temperature, however, being necessary. Growth proceeds 

 rapidly, and on the third day has usually formed a transparent 

 layer of slightly yellowish tint, like clear honey in appearance. 

 On subsequent days, the growth still extends and becomes darker 

 in colour and more opaque, till about the eighth day it has a 

 reddish-brown or chocolate tint, while the potato at the margin 

 of the growth often shows a greenish-yellow staining. The 

 characters of the growth on potato, along with the microscopical 

 appearances, are quite sufficient to distinguish the glanders 

 bacillus from every other known organism (sometimes the 

 cholera organism and the b. pyocyaneus produce a somewhat 

 similar appearance, but they can be readily distinguished by 

 their other characters). Potato is also a suitable medium for 

 starting cultures from the tissues; in this case minute trans- 

 parent colonies become visible on the third day, and afterwards 

 present the appearances just described. 



Powers of Resistance. The glanders bacillus is not killed at 

 once by drying, but usually loses its vitality after fourteen days 

 in the dry condition, though sometimes it lives longer. It is 

 not quickly destroyed by putrefaction, having been found to be 

 still active after remaining two or three weeks in putrefying 

 fluids. In cultures the bacilli retain their vitality for three or 

 four months, if, after growth has taken place, they are kept at 

 the temperature of the room ; on the other hand, they are often 

 found to be dead at the end of two weeks when kept constantly 

 a.t the body temperature. They have comparatively feeble 



