BACTERIOLOGY OF MEAT 209 



the inner surface of the flanks. Klein found Oldium 

 carnis to be the cause, and states that it is harmless to 

 animals. 



B, fcedans (Klein) causes taint in miscured hams, which 

 have undergone ' dry curing ' only. It is a short cylindri- 

 cal rod producing chains and filaments, and is an obliga- 

 tory anaerobe, non-motile, Gram-positive, and apparently 

 non-sporing. Growth does not take place on ordinary 

 media, but glucose gelatin, glucose broth, and particularly 

 glucose pork broth, were found suitable. Milk acquired 

 a nauseating odour, but guinea-pigs were unaffected by 

 subcutaneous injection. 



Beveridge, Fowler, and Fawcus, describe an organism 

 isolated from blown tins of corned beef, which is appa- 

 rently identical with B. cadaveris sporogenes (Klein) and 

 B. putrificus coli (Bienstock). This organism is an 

 obligatory anaerobe, motile, with a slow wavy movement, 

 and forms large terminal spores. In four or five days 

 at blood-heat litmus-milk is decolorised, and sometimes 

 clotted. Later slow digestion of the casein takes place, 

 leaving a clear yellow whey. Digestion is complete in 

 seven to fourteen days, merely leaving a granular deposit. 

 Plentiful gas is formed in neutral red glucose agar, and 

 in all cultures it gives off an exceedingly putrid odour. 

 The organism is apparently non-pathogenic, but decom- 

 poses tinned meats and renders them unfit for consump- 

 tion. The spores are only killed by a temperature of 

 112 C. in twenty-five minutes, 115 C. in ten minutes, 

 or 117 C. in less than five minutes. Tinned meats often 

 contain sporing organisms of the B. subtilis (p. 205) and 

 mesentericus (p. 206) groups. Wanhill and Beveridge 

 incubate tins at 37 C. for fourteen days, when bulging 

 indicates the presence of gas-forming bacilli, probably 

 cadaveris. 



In some cases of tinned meats which have caused 

 food poisoning nothing unusual is noted in the appear- 

 ance, but in others the gelatin is liquid at ordinary tem- 

 peratures, or discoloration, sickly odour, or a soapy taste, 

 is noted. For further information see Savage's Report 

 to L.G.B. on Bacterial Food Poisoning and Food Infec- 

 tions, 1913. 



As food is still sent to analysts to be examined for 

 ' ptomaines,' the following quotation from a Memorandum 



