56 



BACILLUS MEGATERITJM. De Bary. 



Origin. From boiled cabbage leaves. 



Form. Cylindrical rods, with granular contents, 3 

 to 6 times as long as broad, with rounded ends. Are 

 usually slightly bent and may form threads. Involution 

 forms common. 



Motility. Slow, amseboid motion. Lateral flagella. 

 Sporulation. Forms median spores. 

 Anilin Dyes. Stain readily, though irregularities 

 due to granular protoplasm may be seen. 

 Growth. Rapid. 



Gelatin Plates. Colonies are at first irregular, small, yellowish masses, 

 but subsequently show marked radiating or branching forms, which soon 

 Mqnef y the gelatin . 



Stick Cu Itures. Rapid growth and liquefaction along the line of inocu- 

 iution. May show threads of bacteria penetrating outward into the solid gel- 

 atin. Eventually the gelatin is wholly liquefied and a flocculent mass accu- 

 mulates on the bottom; the supernatant liquid clears up without formation 

 of scum on top. 



Streak Cultures. On agar, forms a dull white or grayish covering. On 

 potatoes, grows rapidly as a thick, slimy, grayish white mass, which is rich in 

 spores and involution forms. 



Oxygen requirements. Is aerobic. 

 Temperature. Optimum about 20C. May grow 

 in incubator. 



Behavior to Gelatin. Liquefies. 

 Pathogenesis. No effect observed. 



