SPECIAL FORMS OF CONJUNCTIVAL INFECTION 247 



Michalski (Zent. f. Bakt., 1904, xxxvi., p. 212) found a Bacillus con- 

 junctiritidis subtiliformis. The people lived in a ' dusty manufacturing 

 district.' In three cases Staphylococci were also present, and in one 

 B. xerosis. When rubbed into the conjunctiva for some time, the 

 organism produced a transient inflammation in rabbits ; when in- 

 jected into the vitreous, it caused panophthalmitis. Negative results 

 were obtained from the inoculation of other animals. Filtered 

 cultures caused no inflamma- 

 tion in the eye. 



The following are the mor- 

 phological and cultural pecu- 

 liarities of the bacilli : Large 

 motile rods, 2 to 2'5 /j. long, 

 0'5 to O6 p thick, rounded at 

 their ends, with flagellse ; they 

 very often arrange themselves 

 in threads. In the secretion 

 they are often granular in 

 appearance, are Gram-positive, 

 and in old cultures spores are 

 seen centrally placed ; milk is 

 peptonized. Their aerobic 

 optimum is 37 C. In bouillon 

 a skin forms ; it is wrinkled, 

 yellowish - brown, and easily 



sinks to the bottom. The bouillon is at first diffusely clouded, but 

 later clears. Gelatine plate colonies have a serrated edge, but no 

 radiating markings ; stab cultures in gelatine liquefy, also without any 

 radiations. There is a greater tendency for egg-shaped bodies to form 

 in this medium. 



On agar round grey colonies are formed, and the medium is 

 gradually stained a rusty colour ; along the site of the stroke there is 

 a dense yellowish wrinkled scum ; on potatoes at first a grey, then 

 a chocolate-brown, wrinkled skin. Blood-serum is slowly liquefied. 

 Michalski states that in many points the bacilli resemble the hay 

 bacillus, in others the B. megaterium. It is not correct, therefore, to 

 consider that every large spore-containing Gram-positive bacillus is 

 undoubtedly the hay bacillus. 



Gourfein (Internat. Ophthal. Congress, Lucerne, 1904, Verhand., 

 B. S. 11) found bacilli of this group so freely present in the con- 

 junctiva that he spoke of a Subtilis conjunctivitis. Dorlarid Smith 



FIG. 48. B. SUBTILIS, FROM A TRAUMATIC 



PANOPHTHALMITIS. AGAR CULTURE. 



GRAM STAIN, x 1,000. 



