440 BACILLI WHICH PRODUCE SEPTICAEMIA 



and Schimmelbusch) ; Bacillus der Amerikanischen Rinderseuche 

 (Caneva) ; Bacillus of spontaneous rabbit septicaBmia (Eberth). 



The researches of Caneva and of Bunzl-Federn agree as to the 

 identity of the bacillus obtained by Rietsch and Jobert (1887) from 

 swine attacked with a fatal epidemic disease in Marseilles, and the 

 bacillus found by Eberth and Schimmelbusch (1889) in the blood of 

 ferrets suffering from a fatal form of septicasmia studied by them. 

 The first-named bacteriologist also identifies a bacillus supposed 

 by Billings to be the cause of "Texas fever" in cattle (" Ameri- 

 kanische Rinderseuche ") and the bacillus of swine plague (Billings) 

 with the above. Bunzl-Federn obtained cultures of Billings' swine- 

 plague bacillus at two different times. He identifies the one first re- 

 ceived with the bacillus now under consideration, and the other with 

 the bacillus of hog cholera (Salmon). 1 



Morphology. Bacilli with rounded ends, about twice as long as 

 broad, and one-third smaller than the bacillus of typhoid fever 

 (Eberth and Schimmelbusch). The bacillus of hog cholera is shorter 

 and more slender than the Marseilles bacillus, and the bacillus of 

 Loffler and Schiitz (No. 61) is still smaller (Rietsch and Jobert). 



In stained preparations the extremities of the rods are usually 

 deeply stained, while the central portion remains unstained "polar 

 staining." By Loffler's method of staining the presence of flagella 

 may be demonstrated (Frosch). 



Stains readily with the aniline dyes usually employed, but does 

 not retain its color when treated by Gram's method. 



Biological Characters. An aerobic (facultative anaerobic), 

 non-liquefying, actively motile bacillus. Grows readily at the 

 room temperature, and is distinguished from the bacillus of septi- 

 caemia hoemorrhagica by its active movements and more rapid and 

 abundant development in the various culture media usually em- 

 ployed. It is distinguished from the bacillus of hog cholera (No. 63) 

 by producing phenol and indol in solutions containing peptone, by 

 causing coagulation of milk, and by producing an acid reaction in 

 this fluid. Grows in culture media having an acid reaction. 



Rietsch and Jobert give the following account of the characters 

 of growth in various culture media, as compared with the bacillus of 

 hog cholera and the bacillus of Schweineseuche (Loffler, Schiitz), 

 No. 61 : 



1 The author named says : " With reference to the bacillus of swine plague 

 (Billings), I obtained, as did Caneva, a decided production of acid in the cultures 

 first sent by Billings ; but upon testing later cultures received directly from Bil- 

 lings and from other sources, the result was exactly the opposite viz., a decided 

 production of alkali in milk and identity with the hog-cholera bacillus of Salmon." 



