428 MICRO-ORGANISMS IN WATER 



BACILLUS TEKMO 



LIQUEFIES GELATINE 



Authority. Mace, Traite pratique de Bacteriologie, 1892. 



Where Found. According to Mace, there exists a true Bacillus tcrmo in 

 water, whilst the Bacterium termo so often referred to by earlier writers pro- 

 bably includes a considerable number of different varieties, such as Bacillus 

 Jluorcscens liqtiefaciens, Proteus vulgaris, &c. (Eoux, loc. cit., p. 331.) 



Microscopic Appearance. Thick rods, about 1-4 p. long and 0*8 u. broad, 

 usually in pairs, sometimes in chains. It is very active and is possessed of 

 flagella. 



Cultures. 



GELATINE PLATES. In eight hours a small whitish colony with a greyish peri- 

 phery is visible, surrounded by a zone of liquid gelatine. At the end of three 

 or four days the centre is opaque, surrounded by a liquid 2 to 4 mm. in diameter. 

 The periphery is pale and transparent, very sinuous, and sometimes lobular, 

 exhibiting at 20 C. movements of the liquid which appear to displace the 

 lobular projections, causing the whole colony to produce the illusory impression 

 of an amoeba. Sometimes the gelatine assumes a greenish tint in the vicinity 

 of the colony. 



GELATINE TUBES. Forms a cup-shaped depression which becomes elongated 

 into a funnel. The liquefaction soon reaches the walls of the tube. 



BROTH. Renders the liquid turbid, and forms a light and brittle pellicle and 

 only a slight deposit. 



Remarks. It is strictly aerobic. Is a powerful agent in the decomposition of 

 animal and vegetable matters. 



BACILLUS OP MOUSE SEPTICAEMIA (Koch) 



(Bacillus murisepticus ) 



LIQUEFIES GELATINE [ 



Authority. Gaffky, ' Ueber die Aetiologie der Wundinfektionskrank- 

 heiten,' Mitth. a. d. kaiserlichen Gesundheitsamte, vol. i., 1881, p. 80 ; LoerHer, 

 loc. cit., p. 135. 



Where Found. In the river Panke ; also by Eintaro Mori (Zeitschrift 

 f. Hygiene, vol. iv., 1888) in drain-water. 



Microscopic Appearance. Very small bacillus, 0-8 to 1-0 fj. long and 0-1 to 

 0-2 /j. broad ; occurs frequently in pairs. It is not motile. Forms spores. Is 

 stained by Gram's method. 



Cultures. 



GELATINE PLATES. Does not grow on the surface ; forms ill-defined colonies 

 resembling small whitish clouds. Above each colony a small shallow depression 

 is formed in the gelatine. 



GELATINE TUBES. Grows slowly, producing a delicate white diffused cloudy 

 appearance. In strongly alkaline gelatine liquefaction sometimes takes place. 



AGAR-AGAR Forms restricted yellowish white colonies. 



POTATOES. No growth. 



Remarks. Pathogenic to house mice ; the latter, on being subcutaneously inocu- 

 lated, die in from forty to sixty hours. Field-mice are immune. 



