THE CLASSIFICATION OF BACTERIA 297 



250. B. botulinus v. Ermengem 



Zeitsch. f. Hygiene, XXVI, 1898, 1. Schneidemuhl : Centralblatt f. Bakteriol., 

 XXIV, 583. 



Morphology. Bacilli 0.9-1.2 : 4-9 /u.; like anthrax and malignant oedema. 

 Clostridium forms, often in chains of two and more. Polar oval spores. 

 Flagella 4-8. Stain by Gram's method. Optimum temperature 20-30 ; 

 growth ceases at 38.5. 



Gelatin colonies. Round, translucent, coarsely granular; gelatin slowly liquefied. 



Glucose gelatin colonies. Round, translucent, bright yellowish brown ; coarsely 

 granular, with motion of the granules ; on the periphery a slight liquefac- 

 tion, becoming incised and lobed. 



Glucose bouillon. Turbid, with a butyric acid odor. 



Glucose gelatin stab. In depth, with radiating outgrowths, liquefied slowly, 

 gas, yellowish white sediment. 



Potato. No growth even in anaerobic conditions. 



Glucose agar slant. As before. 



Milk. Not coagulated, and only slight growth. No putrefactive odor in 

 cultures, but a sour smell like rancid butter. No gas in lactose and sac- 

 charose bouillon. In ordinary agar and gelatin, without glucose, no gas. 



Pathogenesis. Pure cultures given to cats cause the same symptoms as 

 poisonous meat ; hyperemia and small hemorrhages of the liver, kidneys, 

 and central nervous system. In guinea pigs, death in 2 days ; in apes, in 

 30 hours. 



Habitat. Isolated from ham which had caused meat poisoning, botulism. 



251. B. butyricus Botkin 



Zeitsch. f. Hygiene, XI, 1892, 421. 



Morphology. Bacilli 0.5 /x thick, of variable lengths filaments. Slightly 

 motile. Rods contain granules, which stain with iodine. 



Gelatin colonies. Round, with outgrowths. 



Agar colonies. Felted floccose, with filamentous, radiating borders. 



Agar stab. Much gas. 



Milk. In depth, a clear serum ; much gas ; coagulated. Produces butyric, 

 propionic, acetic, formic, and lactic acid. Does not decompose cellulose 

 or salts of lactic acid. Gas produced without a bad odor. 



Habitat. Isolated from milk, water, earth. 



