MICROCOCCI 227 



the adjacent sides being flattened like a coffee bean 

 or two D's opposed to each other by the flat sides. 

 In most cases it is present inside the protoplasm of 

 the leucocytes in the exudation, the leucocytes being 

 of the polymorphonuclear variety. Hence it has been 

 called the Micrococcus intracellularis meningitidis. The 

 variety of meningitis in which it is chiefly found is 

 epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, which is now a 

 notifiable disease in a large number of districts. It is 

 non-motile, non-sporing, non-flagellar, non-capsulated, 

 and Gram-negative. It is found in the exudates, and 

 specially in the spinal fluid obtained by lumbar puncture, 

 and in such fluid it is well demonstrated in the cells by 

 using Jenner's stain. It is easily stained by the usual 

 dyes, and with methylene-blue stains irregularly. It is 

 not readily cultivated on the ordinary media, and grows 

 best on blood serum and ascitic agar. On blood serum, 

 white shining viscid colonies appear in 24 hours. Cultures 

 readily die out. It ferments maltose and dextrose with 

 acid production (distinction from M. catarrhalis) . Involu- 

 tion forms occur. In the patient, agglutinins and opsonins 

 are formed. Distinguish from M. catarrhalis, which is found 

 in the nose, and grows at room temperature, whereas M. 

 meningitidis is not easily grown below 25 C. The sugar test 

 is also helpful. M. pharyngis also grows at room temperature 

 and ferments maltose, dextrose, saccharose, and laevulose. 

 M. mucosus gives slimy growths. Other Gram-negative 

 cocci are chromogenic. 



GONOCOCCUS. 



First found in urethral pus and pus from ophthalmia 

 neonatorum by Neisser in 1879. Cultivated by Bumm 

 in 1885 on human blood serum. Diploforms very 

 similar to the meningococcus, and like it may be found 

 in pus, intra- but also extra-cellularly. The gonococci are 

 non-motile, etc., and Gram-negative. They are mostly 

 extra-cellular in chronic discharges, and may be rather 

 scarce. They do not grow on gelatin or agar, but on serum 

 or ascitic agar, and best at blood heat. Growth ceases 

 below 30 C. Colonies appear within 48 hours, but may 

 not until four days. They are readily killed at 42 C. They 



