520 PATHOGENIC AEROBIC BACILLI 



the fact that it frequently gives rise to hemorrhagic extravasations in inocu- 

 lated animals. In our opinion the characters given do not justify the view 

 that this bacillus is a distinct species from the bacilli above mentioned. 



165. BACILLUS OF BUNZL-FEDERN. 



Obtained by Bunzl-Federn (1892) from the sputum of a patient suffering 

 from pneumonia by inoculation into the subcutaneous tissues of a rabbit. 



Morphology. Bouillon cultures consist mostly of "diplococci" and 

 short bacilli, but upon agar slender bacilli and long filaments are commonly 

 developed. In the blood of infected animals it also varies in its morphology. 

 In the blood of rabbits and guinea-pigs it appears as short, tolerably thick 

 rods, which frequently show polar staining and resemble diplococci. In 

 the blood of white mice the bacilli are of the same thickness but longer 

 often twice as long as in rabbits. Does not stain by Gram's method and is 

 without a capsule. 



Biological Characters. An aerobic and facultative anaerobic, non- 

 liquefying, non-motile bacillus. Does not form spores. In gelatin stick 

 cultures no growth is observed for several days. At the end of eight days a 

 thin, grayish-white layer with irregular margins is developed, and discrete, 

 punctiform, grayish-white colonies are seen along the line of puncture. In 

 bouillon, a uniform clouding of the medium occurs within twenty-four 

 hours, and later a ring-formed mycoderma is seen upon the surface around 

 the walls of the test tube. After some days the bouillon becomes transparent 

 and a slimy deposit remains at the bottom, which is coarsely granular < >r 

 lumpy. 



Upon agar, at 37 C. , a soft, shining layer is formed at the end of twenty- 

 four hours ; this consists of fine drops, which are colorless by reflected li<ht 

 and grayish-white bv transmitted light. Usually these little drops do not 

 run together. In milk, development occurs without coagulation or produc- 

 tion of acid. Does not grow on potato. 



Pathogenesis. Pathogenic for rabbits, guinea-pigs, white mice, and pig- 

 eons. Subcutaneous injections of 0.4 to 1 cubic centimetre of a recent bouil- 

 lon culture give rise to septicaemia and death in rabbits from twelve hours 

 to three days, in guinea-pigs in from two to four days. 



166. BACILLUS OF BUBONIC PLAGUE (Kitasato). 



Discovered by Kitasato (1894) in the blood of living patients, and 

 in the buboes, blood, and organs of those who had recently died from 

 the infectious malady known as bubonic plague. Kitasato was sent 

 to Hong- Kong by the Japanese Government for the purpose of inves- 

 tigating this disease. According to Lowson the bacilli are found in 

 the faeces, in the contents of the buboes, and in the blood. 



Morphology. In his preliminary note, Kitasato described tin- 

 plague bacilli as "rods with rounded ends," which are readily 

 stained by the ordinary aniline dyes, the poles being stained darker 

 than the middle part, especially in blood preparations, and present- 

 ing a capsule sometimes well marked, sometimes indistinct. 



Yersin, who was sent by the French Government to study the 

 bubonic plague at Hong-Kong, arrived in that city on the 15th of 

 June, 1894. He describes the bacillus found in the contents of the 

 buboes as being short and thick, with rounded ends, staining easily 

 with the aniline colors, but not by Gram's method. " The extremities 



