492 



BACTERIOLOGY. 



appearance of a string of glistening beads. (Fig. 84.) 

 In this stage they remain but a short time. The chains 

 of spores, which are held together by the remains of 



FIG. 83. 



Bacterium anthracis. Plaited and twisted threads seen in fresh growing 

 cultures. X about 400 diameters. 



the cells in which they formed, become broken up, and 

 eventually nothing but free oval spores, and here and 

 there the remains of mature bacilli which have under- 

 gone degenerative changes, can be found. In this con- 

 dition the spores, capable of resisting deleterious influ- 



FIG. 84. 



Threads of bacterium anthracis containing spores. X about 1200 diameters. 



ences, remain and, unless their surroundings are altered, 

 continue in this living, though inactive, condition for 

 a very long time. If again placed under favorable 

 conditions, each spore will germinate into a mature cell, 



