MICROSPIRA SCHUYLKILLIENSIS. 487 



MICKOSPIRA SCHUYLKILLIENSIS, ABBOTT, 1896. 

 Synonym : Vibrio Schuylkilliensis, Abbott, 1896. 



Abbott 1 discovered a microspira in the water of the 

 Schuylkill River, at Philadelphia, and later, Bergey 2 

 reports the presence of the same organism, as well as 

 several varieties that are slightly different, in the waters 

 of the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers, along the entire 

 city front, more especially in the effluents of the sewers. 



Microspira Schuylkilliensis is a short, rather plump 

 " comma," often with a very decided curve, with 

 rounded or slightly pointed ends. As usually seen it 

 is a little shorter and thicker than the microspira 

 comma, though this feature is quite variable. It is 

 actively motile, having a single polar flagellum. It 

 does not form spores. It stains with the ordinary ani- 

 line stains, but is negative to Gram's method. 



The colonies on gelatin are sharply defined, distinctly 

 granular, and have usually fine irregular markings, as if 

 they were creased or folded. Sometimes they present 

 indistinct concentric markings. As growth progresses 

 these markings become more and more distinct and 

 finally give to the colony a decidedly lobulated or mul- 

 berry-like appearance. 



After about the third or fourth day, when liquefaction 

 is actively in progress, the majority of the colonies lose 

 their characteristic appearance. They are seen as irreg- 

 ular, ragged, granular masses lying in the centre of pits 

 of liquefied gelatin. 



In stab cultures in gelatin the appearance of the 



^ Abbott: Jour, of Exp. Med., 1896, vol. 1., p. 419. 

 'Bergey: Jour, of Exper. Med., vol. ii., 1897, p. 535. 



