MUCOSUS CAPSULATUS GROUP 163 



the greatest dilution of the patient's serum. This organism 

 is then considered the causative one. No practical remedy 

 has been found by the use of antitoxins or vaccines. 



MUCOSUS CAPSULATUS GROUP. 



This group has been included with the colons by many 

 of the later writers. Such a classification is open to some 

 objection, but it is quite proper to discuss the organisms 

 directly after the colon group, since the two types have some 

 things in common and both are constantly present in the 

 intestinal tract. 



The bacteria in question are non-motile, plump, straight 

 rods without spores, but surrounded by a capsule, at least 

 when in the animal body. They measure from 3 5 - 1 to 

 s-oVo in ch in length and from 50 iUo to FeWo inch in 

 width. They may be found lying singly, but when in the 

 body are commonly united in pairs or short chains about 

 which one may find the capsule. We may find the capsule in 

 milk or gelatin cultures. They are easily stained by ordinary 

 dyes. They grow well, best at body temperature, but also as 

 low as 12 C. or 54 F., or as high as 41 C. or 106 F. They 

 are killed at 56 C. or 133 F. in ten minutes. They resist 

 drying quite well. Freezing is rather rapidly fatal to them. 

 They grow best in the presence of oxygen, but may live with- 

 out it. All the artificial cultivations of this group are char- 

 acterized by luxuriance, with a tendency to a slimy, smeary, 

 or tenacious consistency, hence the name "mucosus." None 

 of the group can soften gelatin or make indol. They all 

 produce some degree of acidity in milk, but not all can curdle 

 it. The various members behave very differently in regard to 

 sugars, and upon these reactions they are classified. 



The poison produced by the bacteria of this group is prob- 

 ably all endotoxic. They irritate the part also mechanically 

 by their presence. These bacilli are widely distributed in 

 animal life, but less so otherwise in nature. They are trans- 



