I 88 BACTERIA 



TETANUS BACILLUS 



Bacillus Tetani. 



Tetanus Bacillus (Fig. 54). 

 Lockjaw Bacillus. 



First seen by Nicolaier, and isolated in pure culture by Kitasato. 



Morophology and Stains. Rod-shaped. Varying from i.2{j, in 



length, to very long threads of 20 to 40;*. Sometimes grow in 



FIG. 54. Tetanus bacilli showing end spores. (Kolle and Wassermann.) 



chains; frequently appear like short drum-sticks with a spore at one 

 end, which is either round or oval. At times, the bacilli in chains 

 sporulate. The organism is motile; possesses numerous flagella 

 (from 50 to 100) peritrichously arranged; stains well with all the 

 common basic aniline dyes, and retains the color in Gram's 

 method (Fig. 55). 



Oxygen Requirements. Strictly anaerobic when freshly iso- 

 lated from earth or wounds, but, after long cultivation on culture 

 media, it becomes more tolerant to small amounts of oxygen. 



Temperature. Grows best at 37C. Below i4C. not at all. 



Vital Resistance. Spores resist 8oC. for an hour. This fact 



