49b PATHOGENIC AEROBIC BACILLI 



Morphology. Resembles Bacillus subtilis, but is shorter, with rounded 

 ends. 



Biological Characters. An aerobic, non-liquefying, non-motile bacillus. 

 Forms spores in presence of oxygen in the course of three or four days at 

 the room temperature ; these are oval in formand are arranged in rows; 

 when they germinate this occurs in a direction perpendicular to their long 

 axis and to that of the filament in which they developed ; as a result of 

 this the newly formed rods lie parallel to each other. In gelatin stick cul- 

 tures the growth upon the surface consists of a thin, transparent, grayish 

 layer; along the line of puncture crowded, pale-yellow colonies are de- 

 veloped. The cultures give off an intense putrefactive odor. 'Upon potato 

 a dry, grayish layer is formed, which may be about 0.5 millimetre in thick- 

 ness. 



Pathogenesis. Not pathogenic for mice or for rabbits when injected in 

 small amounts, but in considerable quantities causes fatal toxasmia in rabbits. 



117. BACILLUS OXYTOCUS PERNICIOSUS. 



Obtained by Wyssokowitsch from milk which had been standing for a 

 long time. 



Morphology. Short bacilli with rounded ends, somewhat thicker and 

 shorter than the lactic acid bacillus. 



Biological Characters. An aerobic, non-liquefying bacillus. In gela- 

 tin plates the deep colonies are small, spherical, finely granular, and of a 

 yellowish or brownish-yellow color. The superficial colonies are hemi- 

 spherical masses of a grayish- white color by transmitted light, light-brown. 

 They may have a diameter of one and one-half millimetres. 



In gelatin stick cultures the growth is at first "nail-like" ; later it ex- 

 tends over the entire surface of the gelatin. It causes coagulation of milk, 

 with a sour reaction, within twenty-four hours. The cultures are without 

 odor. 



Pathogenesis. Small doses are not pathogenic for mice or for rabbits, but 

 considerable quantities injected into the circulation of rabbits cause their 

 death in from three to twenty-two hours. Soon after the injection an abun- 

 dant diarrhoea is developed. At the autopsy a hsemorrhagic inflammation 

 of the intestinal mucous membrane is the principal pathological appearance 

 observed. 



118. BACILLUS SAPROGENES II. 



Obtained by Rosenbach (1884) from the perspiration of foul-smelling feet. 



Morphology. Short bacilli with rounded ends. 



Biological Characters. Aerobic and facultative anaerobic. Characters 

 pf growth in gelatin, motility, etc. , not given. 



Streak cultures upon the surface of nutrient agar, at the end of twenty- 

 four hours, cause the entire surface to be covered with minute, transparent 

 colonies, which later become confluent and gradually somewhat opaque, 

 forming a viscid, whitish gray layer. The odor of cultures resembles that of 

 perspiring feet. Causes putrefaction of albuminous substances in the pre- 

 sence of oxygen, with evolution of stinking gases. In the absence of oxygen 

 putrefactive changes also occurred, but less rapidly. 



Pathogenesis. When injected in considerable quantity into the knee 

 joint or into the pleural cavity of rabbits, the animals succumb in from three 

 to five days. 



119. BACILLUS OF AFANASSIEW. 



Obtained by Afanassiew (1887) from mucus and masses of pus coughed 

 up by patients suffering from whooping cough. Etiological relation not 

 demonstrated. 



Morphology. Bacilli from 0.6 to 2.2 ju long; solitary, in pairs, or in 

 short chains. 



