Pathogenesis 513 



fluid which does not precipitate rapidly; a rather smeary, 

 whitish scum is usually formed upon the surface. The 

 more extensive and more rapid the liquefaction of the 

 medium, the wider the top to the funnel, the absence of the 

 air-bubble, and the clouded nature of the liquefied material, 

 all serve to differentiate the culture from the cholera spiril- 

 lum. 



Agar-agar. Upon agar-agar the growth is also rapid, 

 and in a short time the whole surface of the culture medium 

 is covered with a moist, thick, slimy coating, which may 

 have a slightly yellowish tinge. 



Bouillon. In bouillon the organism causes a diffuse 

 turbidity with a more or less distinct pellicle on the surface. 

 In sugar-containing culture media it causes no fermenta- 

 tion and generates no gas. 



Potato. The cultures upon potato are also different 

 from those of the cholera organism, for the Kinkier and Prior 

 spirilla grow rapidly at the room temperature, and produce 

 a grayish-yellow, slimy, shining layer, which may cover the 

 whole of the culture medium. 



Blood-serum. Blood-serum is rapidly liquefied by the 

 organism. 



The spirillum does not grow well in milk, and speedily dies 

 in water. 



Metabolic Products. The organism does not produce 

 indol. Buchner has shown that in media containing some 

 glucose an acid reaction is produced. Proteolytic enzymes 

 capable of dissolving gelatin, blood-serum, and casein are 

 formed. 



Pathogenesis. It was at first supposed that if not the 

 spirillum of cholera itself, this was a very closely allied 

 organism. Later it was supposed to be the cause of cholera 

 nostras. At present it is a question whether the organism 

 has any pathologic significance. It was in one case secured 

 by Knisl from the feces of a suicide, and has been found in 

 carious teeth by Miiller. 



When injected into the stomach of guinea-pigs treated 

 with tincture of opium according to the method of Koch, 

 about 30 per cent, of the animals die, but the intestinal 

 lesions produced are not identical with those produced by 

 the cholera spirillum. The intestines in such cases are pale 

 and filled with watery material having a strong putrefactive 

 odor. This fluid teems with the spirilla. 

 33 



