366 Glanders 



Distribution. The glanders bacillus does not seem to 

 find conditions outside the animal body suitable for its 

 growth, and probably lives a purely parasitic existence. 



Morphology. The glanders bacillus is somewhat shorter 

 and distinctly thicker than the tubercle bacillus, and has 

 rounded ends. It measures about 0.25-0.4 X 1.5-3 /A an d 

 is slightly bent; coccoid and branched forms sometimes 

 occur. It usually occurs singly, though upon blood-serum, 

 and especially upon potato, conjoined individuals may occa- 

 sionally be found. Long threads are never formed. 



The bacillus is non-motile and has no flagella. The 

 observation of Loftier that the bacilli can be cultivated 



V"' K>*^V^5 



&$* 



xL*.^ v ^ 



T A * 



Fig. 106. Bacillus mallei, from a culture upon glycerin agar-agar 

 X 1000 (Frankeland Pfeiffer). 



after being kept in a dry state for three months makes it 

 appear as if some permanent form (spores) occurs, but none 

 have been observed. 



Staining. The organism can be stained with the watery 

 anilin dye solutions, but not by Gram's method. The bacil- 

 lus readily gives up the stain in the presence of decolorizing 

 agents, so is difficult to stain in tissues. Loffler accomplished 

 the staining by allowing the sections to lie for some time 

 (five minutes) in the alkaline methylene-blue solution, then 

 transferring them to a solution of sulphuric and oxalic 

 acids 



