BACILLUS EDEMATIS 589 



BACILLUS EDEMATIS, LIBORIUS, 1886. 



The bacillus of malignant edema, also known as vibrion 

 septique, is another pathogenic form almost everywhere 

 present in the soil. In certain ' respects it is a little like 

 bacterium anthracis, and was at one time confounded with 

 it; but it differs in the marked peculiarity of being a strict 

 anaerobe. It was first observed by Pasteur, but it was not 

 until later that Koch, Liborious, Kitt, and others described 

 its peculiarities in detail. It can often be obtained by 

 inserting under the skin of rabbits or guinea-pigs small 

 portions of garden-earth, street-dust, or decomposing 

 organic substances. There results a widespread edema, 

 with more or less gas-production in the tissues. In the 

 edematous fluid about the site of inoculation the organism 

 under consideration may be detected. (Fig. 102, A.) 



It is a rod about 3 to 3.5ju long and from 1 to l.l/* thick 

 i. e., it is about as long as bacterium anthracis, but is a 

 trifle more slender. It is usually found in pairs, joined end 

 to end, but may occur as longer threads; particularly is 

 this the case in cultures. When in pairs the ends that 

 approximate are squarely cut, while the distal extremities 

 are rounded. When occurring singly both ends are rounded. 

 (How does it differ in this respect from bacterium anthracis?) 

 It is slowly motile, and its flagella are located both at the 

 ends and along the sides of the rod. It forms spores that 

 are usually located in or near the middle of the cells, causing 

 frequently a swelling at the points at which they are located 

 and giving to the cell a more or less oval, spindle, or lozenge 

 shape. (Fig. 102, .) 



It is an obligate anaerobe, growing on all the ordinary 



