Cultivation 467 



is almost impossible to pick out a few colonies of the latter 

 if mixed upon a plate with the former." 



Krankel regards this organism as a species intermediate 

 between the cholera and the Kinkier- Prior spirilla. 



The colonies upon gelatin plates appear in about twelve 

 hours as small whitish points, and rapidly develop, so that 

 by the end of the third day large saucer-shaped liquefactions 

 resembling colonies of the Kinkier- Prior spirilla occur. The 

 liquefaction of the gelatin is quite rapid, the resulting fluid 

 being turbid. Usually, upon a plate of Vibrio metschnikovi 

 some colonies are present which closely resemble those of 



Fig. 139. Spirillum metschnikovi, from an agar-agar culture. X 1000 

 (Itzerott and Niemann). 



the cholera spirillum, being deeply situated in conical de- 

 pressions in the gelatin. Under the microscope the contents 

 of the colonies, which appear of a brownish color, are ob- 

 served to be in rapid motion. The edges of the bacterial 

 mass are fringed with radiating organisms (Kig. 140). 



Gelatin Punctures. In gelatin tubes the growth closely 

 resembles that of the cholera organism, but develops more 

 slowly. 



Agar-agar. Upon the surface of agar-agar a yellowish- 

 brown growth develops along the whole line of inoculation. 



Potato. On potato at the room temperature no growth 

 occurs, but at the temperature of the incubator a luxuriant 



