FUSIFORM BACILLI AND SPIRILLUM FUSIFORMIS 531 



a variety of lesions of the type mentioned above. The colonies were 

 small, more or less circular in outline with projecting, hair-like growths, 

 which attain a diameter of 1 to 2 mm. In all, fifteen strains were 

 isolated in pure culture, all of which produced indol and possessed a 

 disagreeable odor. Two distinct cultural types were distinguished; 

 all strains produced acid, but no gas, in dextrose, galactose and levu- 

 lose; one type produced acid in saccharose, the other type was with- 

 out action upon this sugar. There was no demonstrable relation 

 between the source of the culture and the fermentation of saccharose, 

 w r hich is in harmony with TunniclifFs observation that the fusiform 

 bacilli obtained from a variety of lesions presented no demonstrable 

 distinctive characters. 



No spiral organisms developed in the cultures, although they were 

 present in smears from the original material. This points strongly 

 to the non-identity of the fusiform bacillus and the spiral organism 

 so frequently associated with it, although Tunniclift' 1 claims that the 

 spirilla and the fusiform bacilli are different forms of a single organism. 



The relation of the fusiform bacilli to morbid processes is not finally 

 established, although the injection of material rich in these organisms 

 has frequently led to necrosis and suppuration in experimental animals. 

 The most convincing evidence of their pathogenicity is the occasional 

 demonstration of fusiform bacilli in considerable numbers in tissues 

 from cases of noma and similar severe lesions. 



1 Jour. Inf. Dis., 1911, viii, 316. 



