BACILLUS CHAUVEL 531 



track of its development. During its growth gas- 

 bubbles are produced. 



In deep stab-cultures in agar-agar at 37 to 38 C. 

 growth begins in from twenty-four to forty-eight hours, 

 also at about one or two centimetres below the surface, 

 and is accompanied by the production of gas-bubbles. 

 There is produced at the same time a peculiar, pene- 

 trating odor somewhat suggestive of that of rancid 

 butter. Under these conditions spores are formed after 

 about thirty hours. 



It grows well in bouillon of very slightly acid reac- 

 tion under hydrogen, but does not retain its virulence 

 for so long a time as when cultivated upon solid media. 

 In this medium it develops in the form of white flocculi 

 that sink ultimately to the bottom of the glass and leave 

 the supernatant fluid quite clear. If the vessel be now 

 gently shaken, these delicate flakes are distributed homo- 

 geneously through it. In bouillon cultures there is 

 often seen a delicate ring of gas-bubbles round the 

 point of contact of the tube and the surface of the 

 bouillon. There is produced also a peculiar, penetrat- 

 ing, sour or rancid odor. 



It grows best at the body-temperature i. e., from 37 

 to 38 C. but can also be brought to development at 

 from 16 to 18 C. Below 14 C. no growth is seen. 

 Spore-formation appears much sooner at the higher than 

 at the lower temperatures. When its spores are dried 

 upon bits of thread in the dessiccator over sulphuric acid, 

 and then kept under ordinary conditions, they retain 

 their vitality and virulence for many months. Sim- 

 ilarly, bits of flesh from the affected areas of animals 

 dead of this disease, when completely dried, are seen to 

 retain for a long time the power of reproducing the 



