31*2 BACILLI PATHOGENIC IN ANIMALS. 



sparrows and pigeons are, on the other hand, susceptible. 

 Kabbits sometimes, but not always, die after inoculation ; 

 often they only show a local reaction, such as an ery- 

 sipelatous formation on the ear, which can be traced 

 over the ear to the parts beyond ; after inoculation on 

 the cornea an intense inflammatory process occurs in the 

 eye. Loeffler has made out that rabbits Avhich have 

 once recovered from this inoculation on the ear, or on 

 the cornea, are completely immune against any new 

 attempt to introduce the bacilli, however large the doso 

 employed. 



Bacillus cuniculicida (Koch). 

 (Koch's Rabbit Septicaemia.) 



This septicaemia was obtained by Koch* by inoculation 

 f ra ^bits with impure river water (the water of the 

 Panke), and on another occasion with flesh that was 

 undergoing putrefaction. Numerous other attempts to 

 obtain the same morbid agents from putrefying materials 

 were unsuccessful, so that the distribution of this 

 organism seems to be limited, both as regards place and 

 time. 



Microscopical These organisms present the form of short rods some- 

 characters. \vhat pointed at their ends ; when stained the ends take 

 up the dye, while the central portion of the rod remains 

 unstained ; there is no constriction in the middle, but the 

 peculiar distribution of the colouring matter readily 

 leads to the erroneous idea that the organism consists 

 of two micrococci lying side by side. They do not stain 

 by Gram's method. Their length is 1'4 /*. and their 

 breadth "6 to "7 /*. Two and more bacteria often remain 

 united after division, and thus form apparently longish 

 rods ; under these circumstances they frequently present 

 the form of a figure of 8, and are surrounded by a some- 

 what clear area. Spontaneous movement has not been 

 observed. 



Growth on The bacilli grow readily in broth, in blood serum, and 



plates. on nu t r i en t jelly. On gelatine plates small white points 



* Mittheil. a. d. Kais. Ges. A., vol. i., p. 94, ff. 



