156 BACTERIA 



This point is most important in differentiating it from other 

 diplococci, except the meningococcus. A diplococcus is said to 

 exist normally in some urethras that resembles the gonococcus, 

 but is Gram-positive. 



Oxygen Requirements. It is a facultative anaerobe. 



Vital Conditions. It is cultivated with difficulty in culture 

 media. Grows best at about 37C. As it dies quickly in usual 

 culture media, a special one must be employed; that containing as- 

 citic or hydrocele fluid, blood or urine is best. It does not with- 

 stand high temperature, drying, or light, very long, and is very 

 easily killed in culture by silver salts. In tissues of the urethra it 

 may live many months. 



Cultures. On agar, containing ascites fluid, it grows very spar- 

 ingly. The colonies are exceedingly delicate, and gray, turning 

 to yellowish, and are scarcely above the culture media. It will not 

 grow in gelatine, milk, or ordinary bouillon, but in one made of 

 nutrose, serum, beef-extract, and peptone. 



Habitat. Never found outside the human organism, except on 

 linen, towels, instruments, etc. It is in all senses a strict parasite. 



Bacterial Activities. Apparently does not produce a soluble 

 toxin, but an endo-toxin (gonotoxin) , which is highly resistant to 

 heat. 



Pathogenic Virulence. This organism does not infect any of 

 the lower animals. The "gonotoxin," if injected into small ani- 

 mals, produces a doughy infiltrated area, which undergoes necrosis. 

 It has been found that filtrates of old cultures (sterile), if placed on 

 urethral mucous membranes, can produce suppuration. In man, 

 the organism causes a distressing disease (gonorrhoea), which may 

 become a dangerous one, ending even in death. It may produce 

 violent inflammation of the urethra vagina, uterus fallopian tubes, 

 and the peritoneum. It frequently affects the conjunctive, and 

 sometimes causes a pan-ophthalmia, which destroys the sight. It 

 may be a cause of plastic arthritis gonorrhceal rheumatism, endo- 

 carditis, pleuritis. In fact, any serous membranes may be infected, 



