312 CLINICAL BACTERIOLOGY. 



manifestations of gonorrhea (peritonitis, salpingitis, oophor- 

 itis, endocarditis, rheumatism, myelitis). The reported 

 demonstration of gonococci in the normal urethra thus 

 their saprophytism can not be considered as established. 



Culture of gonococci (Wertheim) is possible only at a 

 temperature of 37 C. (98.6 F.). 



Plate-procedure. Gonorrheal pus is introduced into a tube 

 containing liquid human blood-serum at a temperature of 40 C. 

 (104 F.), and from this two dilutions are prepared in two new 

 blood-serum tubes, likewise at a temperature of 40 C. (104 F.). 

 Into each of the three tubes a like amount of liquefied two per 

 cent, peptone-agar, cooled at 40 C. (104 F.), is then intro- 

 duced, thorough admixture practised, and three plates are made, 

 which are at once placed in the thermostat. As early as twenty- 

 four hours later isolated gonorrheal cultures will have developed. 

 The superficial colonies present a dark, punctate center, from 

 which a delicate, finely granular deposit extends toward the 

 periphery ; the deeper colonies, of whitish-gray color, possess a 

 nodular appearance, and, in the course of two or three days, 

 assume the shape of blackberries. If inoculations are made from 

 the colonies, it will be found that they consist of a mucoid, 

 viscid mass. 



Streak- culture upon Solidified Blood-serum Agar Slants (one 

 part of liquid human blood-serum at a temperature of 40 C. 

 (104 F. ), mixed with three parts of liquefied agar-agar also at 

 a temperature of 40 C. (104 F. ), and solidified in an oblique 

 position). Luxuriant growth takes place at first in the form of 

 individual gray colonies that later coalesce into a moist, glisten- 

 ing, viscid-mucous deposit, from the periphery of which a thin, 

 veil-like coating extends. The water of condensation is covered 

 by a membrane. 



A good liquid culture-medium is constituted by human blood- 

 serum, with the addition of twice as much peptone-bouillon. 

 Upon this a superficial membrane forms, while the culture- 

 medium itself remains almost entirely clear. 



In the preparation of culture-media animal blood-serum may 

 be employed in place of human blood-serum, although the gono- 

 cocci do not thrive so well upon the former as upon the latter. 

 If, also, gonorrheal pus is smeared upon the surface of several 

 agar-tubes covered with a thin layer of human blood (blood-agar, 

 p. 82), a pure culture of gonococci may be obtained. A mix- 

 ture of blood-serum with urine has also been employed with suc- 

 cess in the cultivation of gonococci ; further, a mixture of 2 

 parts of peptone-agar with i part of human acid urine, or of i 

 part of ascites-fluid with i part of agar nutrient medium of the 

 following constitution : Five per cent, peptone, 2 per cent. 



