SPECIAL FORMS OF CONJUNCTIVAL INFECTION 219 



Sufficient strains have not yet been tested, and Gonococci from different sources 

 and of different generations are not yet sufficiently proved. Von Lingelsheim 

 found some strains in the throat which in their cultures acted like the Mic. catar- 

 rhalis, but which caused fermentation. The sixth strain examined by Brons 

 fermented all kinds of sugar with the exception of galactose and mannite. These 

 may have been different varieties of Gram-negative Diplococci, or one and the 

 same variety may show irregularities in these particulars. All these points must 

 be settled by further research. 



The Meningococcus, when freshly cultivated, is definitely toxic for guinea-pigs 

 and mice, producing a fatal effect. It is not pathogenic for other animals, and 

 certainly is not to be found in the blood of the animal. According to Ruppel 

 (Deutsche Med. Woch., 1906, p. 1367), an intense pathogenicity for animals can be 

 developed by prolonged cultivation. 



Von Lingelsheim has described as occurring in the throat : 



Diplococcus pliaryngis cinereus ; 



Diplococcus pliaryngis flavus /., II., and III.; 



Diplococcus pliaryngis siccus. 



All are Gram-negative cocci. He gives the following as the characteristics of 

 these cocci : 



Diplococcus pliaryngis cinereus : In the original preparation large rounded cocci, 

 larger than Micrococci, evenly round or oval, lying together in twos or more, not 

 in tetrads. Growth scanty. Colonies 1*0 to 1*6 millimetres in diameter. Seen 

 by transmitted light with Leitz 3 OK 1 they are brown, smooth bordered, and 

 coarsely granular. On ordinary agar they form a white scum, as also on gelatine 

 at room temperature ; in gelatine stab culture they grow well only at the point of 

 perforation. 



Diplococcus pliaryngis siccus : Colonies when three days old are 3 millimetres 

 in diameter, and have a very crinkled surface. Their texture is marked by a 

 greater dryness and firmness ; they therefore cannot be rubbed up in fluids. The 

 microscopic preparations show fine Gram-negative Diplococci. 



Diplococcus pliaryngis flavus I. : Ascites agar plate cultures show 2 to 3 milli- 

 metre colonies. They are quite round, slightly raised, with a greenish-grey 

 translucency, and even by low magnification are very like the Micrococcus. 

 Microscopically they show fine round Gram-negative Diplococci, very like Micro- 

 cocci; but tetrads are rarer, and there are differences in the size. On ascites agar 

 slopes they form a yellowish-green homogeneous mass, which on the loop shows a 

 distinct yellow colour. Growth is also good on agar. 



Di2)lococcus pliaryngis flavus II. morphologically resembles the Micr. catar- 

 rhalis, but is distinguished by the power of developing a golden-yellow pigment 

 when grown on media containing blood and on Loffler's serum. 



Diplococcus pliaryngis flavus III. also forms a pigment, which, however, is 

 yellower. 



I have already mentioned the Gram-negative Sarcince. (I must again refer to 

 the chapter on ' Staphylococci,' p. 39. According to Lehmann, Neumann and 

 Migula, many Micrococci can under special circumstances form Sarcince.) 



Brons' sixth strain showed special peculiarities. In the secretion of the lacrymal 

 sac, along with Pneumococci and influenza bacilli, Diplococci were found which 

 were not intracellular, and which grew on ascites agar in the form of tough, rather 

 firmly adherent yellowish colonies, with smooth borders and finely granular 

 appearance. They diminished from the fourth generation both on this medium 

 and also on peptone agar, becoming pulpy. Their colour gradually became 

 brownish-yellow. Bouillon became diffusely clouded, no scum, but a viscous 



