I40 



MICRO-ORGANISMS AND DISEASE [chap. 



Ascococcus. — Billroth first described certain peculiar sphe- 

 rical, oval, or knobbed masses of minute micrococci, which 

 he found in putrid meat infusion. Each of the masses is 

 enveloped in a resistant, firm, hyaline capsule of about o'oio 

 to 0-015 i^ni. thickness. The masses are of various sizes, 

 from 0-02 to o'o; mm. in diameter, and are composed of 

 small spherical micrococci. Cohn found them also in his 

 (Cohn's) nourishing fluid (see Chapter II.), where they 

 produce the peculiar smell of cheese. They are capable 



Fig. 30. — Ascococcus Billrothi (after Cohn). 



of changing acid nourishing material into alkaline. Cohn 

 called the organism ascococcus Billrothi. 



Sarcina Ventriculi. — Goodsir was the first to describe 

 in. the vomit of some patients packets of four cubical 

 cells, with rounded edges, and closely placed against one 

 another. These sarcince ventriculi are of a greenish or 

 reddish colour. The diameter of the individual cells 

 is about 4 ja. They are found in the contents of the 

 stomach of man and brutes in health and disease, where the 



