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BACILLUS OF SYMPTOMATIC ANTHRAX. 



Feser and Bellinger (1878). 



SYNONYMS OF SYMPTOMATIC ANTHRAX. BLACK LEG, QUARTER EVIL; 

 CHARBON SYMPTOMATIQUE (Fr.) ', RAUSCHBRAND (Germ.}. 



Origin. In the subcutaneous tissue, muscles, serous exudate, 

 etc., of symptomatic anthrax. 



Form. Rather large, narrow rods, with distinctly rounded 

 ends ; almost invariably single, may form in twos. About three 

 times as long as wide. Involution forms appear in old cultures 

 swollen in the middle or at the ends. 



Motility. Actively motile. Spore bearing rods eventually 

 lose their motion. Shows lateral flagella, also giant whips. 



Sporulation. Spores develop readily in all media as bright 

 oval bodies, situated near one end which is somewhat enlarged. 



Anilin Dyes. Stain readily. Not by Gram's method. Spores 

 readily double stained. 



Growth. Rapid, and gives off a strong butyric acid odor. 

 Acid or alkaline. glucose media are best. Requires anaerobic con- 

 tions. 



Plates. On gelatin, forms irregular masses surrounded by a dense whorl 

 of threads. Liquefies. On ayar, the form of colonies varies. Usually appears 

 as a dense mass of threads. 



Stick Cultures. In glucose gelatin development takes place in the lower 

 part of the tube; the contents are liquefied and gas is produced. Energetic 

 growth and gas production in glucose agar. The contents of the tube are torn 

 into several parts. Giant whips common. (NovY.) 



Streak Cultures. On glucose cigar, in hydrogen forms a whitish spread- 

 ing film. On blood serum good growths; giant whips (Loftier). 



Bouillon. Becomes cloudy; gas bubbles accumulate on the surface; 

 -after several days the growth settles to the bottom, forming a compact, 

 adherent sediment. Liquid above remains cloudy for several days. 



Glucose gelatin, colored with litmus, develops growth in incubator 

 under ordinary conditions. The color of the litmus changes to a wine-red, 

 showing formation of acids. Heavy flocculent sediment on the bottom. 



Milk. The casein is coagulated. Starch is not inverted. 



Oxygen requirements. Is an obligative anaerobe. Grows in 

 vacuum, hydrogen, carbonic acid, etc. 



Temperature. Grows slowly at ordinary temperature. Best 

 at 37-38 C. 



Behavior to Gelatin. Liquefies. 



Aerogenesis. Energetic production of gas, having a disagree- 

 able odor; is inflammable and consists of marsh gas, etc. 



Attenuation. Bouillon cultures soon lose virulence but main- 

 tain their vitality. Attenuation takes place at 42-43. Spore bear- 

 ing material heated to 80 and 100 becomes attenuated. Virulence 

 restored by inoculating animals, and at same time injecting some 

 lactic acid. Virulence maintained in solid media. 



Immunity. Can be obtained (1) by inoculating small 

 amounts of virulent organism ; (2) by intravenous injections; (3) 

 by injecting heated cultures, 100 and 80 C. ; (4) with inactive old 

 cultures; (5) with filtered cultures. 



Pathogenesis. Young cattle, sheep, goats, guinea-pigs are 

 highly susceptible. Horse, ass, white rat are less so; while hogs, 

 dogs, cats, ordinary rats, rabbits, doves, ducks, chickens are wholly 

 immune. Subcutaneous injection in guinea-pigs produces death in 

 24-48 hours. An extensive subcutaneous oedema is present. The 

 muscles are dark and infiltrated. 



Infection. Takes place naturally by inoculation through 

 wounds ; not through the food or air. Poisoned arrows used in 

 fishing in Norway. 



