314 BACILLUS PROTEUS VULGARIS. 



organism is inflammable. At the autopsy gas bubbles are 

 found in most of the internal organs ; and also the bacillus in 

 pure culture. 



Bacillus proteus vulgaris : The proteus bacilli are minute 

 rods, usually arranged in pairs and occasionally forming 

 chains or filaments. They possess many flagella and are 

 exceedingly motile. The organisms can be stained with 

 carbol-fuchsin, but not with the anilin dyes nor by Gram's 

 method ; they do not form spores ; and grow equally well at 

 either the room or body temperature. 



On gelatin plates small yellowish round colonies are formed, 

 which have an irregular margin and many fine, hair-like pro- 

 jections (Fig. 140). The gelatin is rapidly liquefied, with 

 the formation of free islands of the growth. This peculiar 

 appearance of the culture has given to this organism the 

 name Bacillus figurans. The growth on either potato, agar, 

 bouillon, or gelatin is not characteristic. All the cultures 

 give off an extremely disagreeable odor. 



The proteus bacilli are present in all putrefactive processes, 

 and especially when these are situated in the gastro-intestinal 

 canal. Febrile icterus, or Weil's disease, is said to be caused 

 by a proteus infection. 



Plates are made from the pus obtained from putrid phleg- 

 mons, and also from the urine obtained from cases of Weil's 

 disease. 



