276 BACTERIOLOGY 



in various other tissues of an individual who had died of 

 septic pneumonia, Babes found short immotile rods which 

 readily take up aniline dyes, but discharge them again 

 under Gram's process. The gelatine is not liquefied 

 by them. Extensive flat white islets develop on the 

 plate, and in thrust-cultures growth takes place along the 

 entire needle- track and diffuses an unpleasant, mawkish 

 odour. Upon agar indistinct colonies appear, which coalesce 

 and form a superficial film. A similar thick moist coating 

 is also found upon potato. Experimental inoculations on 

 mice, rabbits, and guinea-pigs speedily cause death. It is 

 not unusual for the bacilli to be found enclosed in the 

 leucocytes also. Virulence is lost after repeated trans- 

 missions to artificial nutrient media. 1 



V. BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OP THE BLOOD 



Micro-organisms in the blood. In treating of the various 

 micro-organisms it has already been pointed out in a 

 general way that they are found not only in the several 

 organs, but also in the blood, and hence examination of 

 the latter must be undertaken both in microscopic prepara- 

 tions and by the methods of cultivation. 



We find in the blood moulds, yeasts, and bacteria, and 

 it has been mentioned already in an earlier part, that 

 staphylococci, streptococci, tubercle bacilli (Weichselbaum) , 

 and the bacilli of typhoid fever, anthrax, glanders, &c., may 

 be recognised here also. Besides these, however, there are 

 other organisms to be cited which occur par excellence in 

 the blood. 



Methods of examination. When it is desired to examine 

 human blood, the ball of the finger must first be care- 

 fully cleansed with sublimate, alcohol, and ether, after which 



1 [The occurrence of Amcebce in the sputum has also been described in 

 cases of dysenteric abscess. See Appendix.] TR. 



