SPORING BACILLI 317 



shows the bacilli in large numbers between the fibres. 

 Thorough cooking destroys the toxin (not so in Gaertner 

 meat-poisoning). The meat may be without any signs 

 of ordinary decomposition. An antitoxin has been 

 produced by Kempner, who also cultivated the bacillus 

 from the intestine of the pig. Botulism is a dangerous 

 affection, ending fatally in 25 per cent of those attacked. 



Bacillus of Malignant CEdema. Discovered by 

 Pasteur in 1877, in guinea-pigs inoculated with putrefying 

 animal tissues. Gaffky found it in the upper layers of 

 the soil of gardens and in dust. It is widely distributed in 

 nature, and has been found in the intestine of animals and 

 man. Its spores are very resistant, and are placed in 

 the centre or near it. They are oval-shaped and slightly 

 bulge the bacterial body. Spore formation occurs above 

 20 C. and is usually well seen in forty-eight hours at 37 C. 

 The guinea-pig, rabbit, sheep, and goat are susceptible to 

 inoculation ; the ox is immune to experimental infection, 

 but has contracted the disease by natural channels. The 

 bacillus is long (4 to 9 micra) and rather thinner than the 

 anthrax bacillus, being 0-9 to 1-2 micron thick. The bacilli 

 have somewhat rounded ends, and at times form threads. 

 They are motile, have numerous peritrichal flagella, and 

 are strict anaerobes. They stain readily by the usual 

 aniline dyes ; they are Gram-negative. 



Cultures. They grow best in the presence of glucose, 

 and produce a heavy, putrid odour. They liquefy gelatin, 

 and in deep stab show bubbles of gas around the colonies. 

 They grow rapidly in deep stab in glucose agar, and here 

 also gas forms and usually splits the medium. In broth, 

 there is general clouding but no pellicle ; a granular 

 sediment forms. In milk, slow coagulation is produced. 

 On blood serum, growth is luxuriant. On potato, growth 

 readily occurs. 



Inoculation of a guinea-pig (subcutaneously) produces 

 death in twenty-four to forty-eight hours. There is an 

 intense inflammatory oedema around the site of puncture 

 and injection, which gradually extends to the surrounding 

 tissues. The skin and subcutaneous tissues are infiltrated 

 with a reddish-brown fluid, are softened, contain bubbles 

 of gas, and are in places gangrenous. The superficial 



