212 CLASSIFICATION OF THE MICRO-ORGANISMS. 



death slight oedema was found at the seat of injection, 

 small extravasations of blood, marked enlargement of 

 the spleen; no embolic processes, no peritonitis. Masses 

 of micrococci were found obstructing the capillaries of 

 various organs, more particularly in the glomeruli of the 

 kidneys. Inoculation of the blood of the heart trans- 

 mitted the disease to rabbits and mice, but only when 

 considerable quantities (210 drops) were used. 



C. SAPROPHYTIC MICROCOCCI. 



Some micrococci set up fermentations, or peculiar 

 decomposition products, when growing in suitable media. 

 To these belong : 



Micrococcus Urea. 



Leube's Micrococci 0'8 I'D p. in diameter, often grouped 



micrococcus together in the form of diplococci and tetrads, fre- 

 quently also in longer chains. In plate cultivations, 

 according to Leube, white mother- of-pearl-like spots 

 about the size of a hemp-seed, with smooth surfaces 

 and sharply defined margins, are formed on the gelatine 

 within 24 hours. In 10 days the colonies have attained 

 the size of about a 20 pfennig piece (about the size 

 of a sixpenny piece). They project somewhat above the 

 surface, and resemble a drop of stearine which has fallen 

 on the gelatine. The circular colony gradually breaks up 

 into several portions divided by fissures, and each of these 

 forms a zooglasa, which gradually increases in size. 

 Under a low power the border of the colony 

 appears finely granular ; further towards 



19 oSb* * ^ C centre ** * s com pl ete ty opaque. The 

 Fig 56 Micro- gelatine is not liquefied. Along a punc- 

 coccus ureae x ture in gelatine the cocci form a thin 

 tenacious thread. In old cultivations a 

 heavy paste-like smell is developed. 



If a small quantity of the cultivation is introduced 

 into urine, or into a solution of urea, an energetic decom- 

 position of urea into ammonium carbonate occurs. 

 Pasteur and van Tieghem regarded micrococci as the 



