72 BACTERIOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS. 



A culture which presents these cultural and morpho- 

 logical appearances may be considered to be one of 

 anthrax with almost absolute certainty, though other 

 tests (notably animal tests) would be applied in a 

 laboratory. 



TUBERCLE. 



The diagnosis of tuberculosis by bacteriological 

 methods (in the case of most morbid exudates) is within 

 the reach of every practitioner ; cultural methods are 

 not used and the recognition of the bacillus is rapid, 

 easy, and certain. 



The bacilli may be sought for in sputum, urine, pus, 

 faeces, or any other morbid material. We will first 

 describe the method of staining which should be 

 adopted, then the characters on which the recognition 

 of the bacillus depends, and lastly the methods by 

 which the films are prepared from the various materials. 



STAINING THE TUBERCLE BACILLUS. 



Requisites. i. Slides, cover-glasses, forceps, and bal- 

 sam. 



2. A Bunsen burner or spirit lamp. 



3. Dilute sulphuric acid about 20 per cent. con- 

 tained in a wide-mouthed bottle or in a jar. This must 

 be large enough to admit a slide but not large enough 

 to permit it to fall down to the bottom. 



4. Carbol-fuchsin. 



