138 MEDICAL BACTERIOLOGY 



Diagnosis. For the bacteriological diagnosis of tetanus, pus or fluid is 

 removed from any wound that may exist, smears are made, fixed, stained and 

 examined microscopically; tetanus bacilli may or may not be observed. Agar 

 and bouillon are inoculated with the pus, two tubes of each; half of these are 

 incubated under aerobic and the others under anaerobic conditions at 37C. 

 for 24 to 48 hou'rs and then inspected with the naked eye and smears made for 

 microscopic examination. 



Such examinations not infrequently fail to disclose tetanus bacilli or spores 

 that are present and, therefore, bacteriological examinations are not depended 

 upon in making a diagnosis of this infection. 



