BACILLUS CHAUVEI 



595 



FIG. 105 



dates of the serous cavities, in the bile, and, after death, 



in the internal organs, the organism to be described can 



always be detected. It is manifest from 



this that the soil of localities over which 



infected herds are grazing may readily 



become contaminated through a variety 



of channels, and thus serve as a 



source of further dissemination of the 



disease. 



The organism was first observed by 

 Feser, and subsequently by Bellinger 

 and others. The most complete de- 

 scription of its morphological and bio- 

 logical peculiarities is that of Kitasato. 1 

 The following is from Kitasato's contri- 

 butions: it is an actively motile rod 

 about 3 to 5/j, long by 0.5 to 0.6/i 

 thick. It has rounded ends, and, as a 

 rule, is seen singly, though now and then 

 pairs joined end to end may occur. It 

 has no tendency to form very long 

 threads. (Fig. 104, A) 



It forms spores, and when in this stage 

 is seen to be slightly swollen at or near 

 one of its poles, the location in which Colonies of the 

 the spore usually appears. (Fig. 104, 



B.) It is markedly prone to undergo dee P gelatin culture. 



. & (After Frankel and 



degenerative changes, and involution- pfeiffer.) 



forms are commonly seen not only in 



fresh cultures, but in the tissues of affected animals as 



well. 



1 Zeitschrift fur Hygiene. Bd. vi, S. 105; 13d. viii, S. 55. 



