GLANDERS. 301 



the germination of the so-called spores has not yet been ob- 

 served. 



The glanders-bacillus takes all stains without difficulty, but it 

 is decolorized with equal facility. The best specimens are ob- 

 tained in cover-slip preparations by treatment with hot Loffler's 

 solution or hot carbolfuchsin, and decolorization with distilled 

 water. The organisms do not stain by Gram's method. In 

 stained preparations the bacilli exhibit almost regularly un- 

 stained deficiencies. The bacilli frequently appear in the form 

 of short structures resembling cocci. They are facultative 

 anaerobic. The temperature-minimum is 25 C. (77 F.) ; the 

 temperature-optimum, 37 C. (98.6 F.) or 38 C. (100.4 

 F.) ; the temperature-maximum, 42 C. (107.6 F.). 



Fig. 65. Bacillus mallei, from a culture upon glycerin agar-agar; X 1000 (Frankel 



and Pfeiffer). 



Cultural Properties. On glycerin-agar plates glistening, 

 granular colonies, with a yellowish tinge and a smooth border, 

 appear. 



Streak- cultures upon Glycerin-agar. Along the line of inocu- 

 lation a moist, whitish coating forms. Upon blood-serum iso- 

 lated, translucent, yellowish drops appear, which do not liquefy 

 the culture-medium. Upon gelatin slight growth takes place at 

 25 C. (77 F.), with slight liquefaction. Bouillon is rendered 

 densely turbid. The growth of glanders-bacilli upon potato 

 is characteristic. The inoculated surface exhibits after two days 

 a thin, honey-yellow deposit, which after a week becomes quite 

 dark, brownish-red, and surrounded by a slightly blue, irides- 

 cent zone. The best culture-medium is glycerin-agar. 



