554 APPLICATION OF METHODS OF BACTERIOLOGY 



On meat-infusion agar-agar, neutral or slightly alkaline 

 to phenolphthalein, growth is very rapid at the body tem- 

 perature. The general character of the growth corresponds 

 to that of microspira comma. 



The growth on blood serum, after twenty-four hours at 

 body temperature, appears as a line of depression, which 

 increases as a track of liquefaction, and later results in the 

 more or less complete liquefaction of the medium. 



Bouillon becomes uniformly clouded in twenty-four hours 

 at the body temperature. Its reaction becomes more alkaline 

 as growth progresses. A pellicle, at first delicate, later 

 denser, always characterizes the growth in this medium. 



Usually no visible growth occurs on a potato. 



In fresh litmus-milk a slight degree of acidity is noticed 

 after twenty-four hours at body temperature. After forty- 

 eight hours this acidity is slightly greater, and at times the 

 milk shows evidences of coagulation, though not always. 



Microspira Schuylkilliensis is a facultative aerobe. In 

 fluid media under an atmosphere of carbon dioxide in sealed 

 tubes no growth is observed. 



The organism grows most luxuriantly at about 37.5° 

 C. Growth is hardly perceptible at 10° C. It is destroyed 

 by an exposure of five minutes to 50° C. 



None of the carbohydrates are broken up with the libera- 

 tion of gas. 



It produces indol and at the same time reduces nitrates 

 to nitrites. 



The pathogenic properties of this organism are best seen 

 in guinea-pigs and pigeons, both of which are uniformly 

 susceptible. Rabbits and chickens resist relatively large 

 doses. Mice are infected with small doses injected 

 subcutaneously. 



