286 MICRO-ORGANISMS AND DISEASE [chap. 



the process of degeneration, the whole mass becoming 

 smaller, and finally only ddbris is left. Such cultures, 

 namely those in which the degeneration involves the whole 

 mass of the bacilli, are quite innocuous when inoculated into 

 animals or into fresh nourishing media. But as long as 



Fig. 112. — From an Artificial Culture in Neutral Pork-Broth of 

 Bacillus Anthracis, with copious Formation of Spores. 



Magnifying power 700. (Stained with Spiller's purple ) 



there are any good protoplasmic elements of the bacilli left 

 the culture is virulent to rodents, with the exception of mice, 

 as will be referred to presently; and it is capable, when 

 transferred to new suitable nourishing media, of starting new 

 cultures that prove virulent to all rodents and sheep. 



