MICROCOCCUS PYOGENES 229 



with a 1-1000 mercuric chloride solution ; but it is evident 

 that much depends on the state of aggregation of the 

 organisms, and Abbott has shown that while most of the 

 cocci in a culture are destroyed in five minutes, a few may 

 survive much longer. 



Toxins. In a case of infective endocarditis examined 

 by Sidney Martin, due to the M. pyogenes, var. aureus, a 

 large amount of an albumose and of a basic body was 

 extracted from the blood and spleen. The albumose 

 produced fever and wasting, and retarded the coagulation 

 of the blood. 



Leber extracted a crystalline body, which he termed 

 phlogosin, from cultures of the M . pyogenes, var. aureus, 

 and Brieger also obtained a crystalline base. 



The decomposition products of the action of the M. 

 pyogenes, var. aureus, on egg-albumen are, according to 

 Emmerling, phenol, indole, and skatole, many volatile and 

 non- volatile acids, betaine, and trimethylamine. 



Anti-serum. Attempts have been made to prepare an 

 anti-serum by the injection of cultures, but the serum is of 

 no practical value. A vaccine, prepared by heating a 

 suspension of an agar culture to 65 C. for half an hour 

 and standardising, has been used with much success in 

 chronic staphylococcic infections, such as acne and boils. 



Micrococcus pyogenes, var. albus, and var. 

 citreus. Micrococcus epidermidis. Micro- 

 coccus cereus 



These organisms are of rarer occurrence than the 

 preceding one. In morphology and cultural characteristics 

 the first two agree with the Micrococcus pyogenes, var. 

 aureus, except that the albus produces a white, shining, 

 porcelain-like growth, and the citreus a lemon-yellow 

 growth, on agar. They are said to be less pathogenic than 



