MICROSPIRA SCHUYLKILLIENSIS 553 



MICROSPIRA SCHUYLKILLIENSIS, ABBOTT, 1896. 



SYNONYM: Vibrio Schuylkilliensis, Abbott, 1896. 



Abbott 1 discovered a microspira in the water of the 

 Schuylkill River, at Philadelphia, and later, Bergey 2 reports 

 the presence of the same organism, as well as several varieties 

 that are slightly different, in the waters of the Schuylkill 

 and Delaware rivers, along the entire city front, more 

 especially in the effluents of the sewers. 



Microspira Schuylkilliensis is a short, rather plump 

 "comma," often with a very decided curve, with rounded 

 or slightly pointed ends. As usually seen it is a little shorter 

 and thicker than the microspira comma, though this feature 

 is quite variable. It is actively motile, having a single polar 

 flagellum. It does not form spores. It stains with the 

 ordinary aniline stains, but is negative to Gram's method. 



The colonies on gelatin are sharply defined, distinctly 

 granular, and have usually fine irregular markings, as if 

 they were creased or folded. Sometimes they present 

 indistinct concentric markings. As growth progresses these 

 markings become more and more distinct and finally give 

 to the colony a decidedly lobulated or mulberry-like ap- 

 pearance. 



After about the third or fourth day, when liquefaction is 

 actively in progress, the majority of the colonies lose their 

 characteristic appearance. They are seen as irregular, 

 ragged, granular masses lying in the centre of pits of lique- 

 fied gelatin. 



In stab cultures in gelatin the appearance of the growth is 

 essentially that of microspira comma, though at times it is 

 a little more rapid in progress. 



1 Jour, of Exp. Med., 1896, i, 419. 2 Ibid., 1897, ii, 535. 



