DEVELOPMENT OF THE BACTERIA. 131 



diameter almost double the ordinary diameter, 

 then the protoplasm of the filament to gather 

 together at certain points, — a fact clearly made 

 out, as in the parts where the protoplasm was 

 wanting the bacteria had lost all refractive power. 

 Finally, at a later period the points occupied by 

 the condensed protoplasm augment considerably in 

 volume, and form some ovoid organs- more or less 

 elongated, or swollen into a ball, or in the form 

 of a gourd at one extremity. In the interior of 

 these sporangia, from three to six spores afterward 

 form, clearly defined and highly refractive ; then, 

 finally, by breaking up of the membranous enve- 

 lope the spores become free. 



Toussaint has also followed in the same appar- 

 atus — moist and warm chamber of Ranvier — the 

 mode of germination of the spores. The follow- 

 ing are the most important facts : — 



The spores are at first highly refractive and 

 animated by brownien movements; at the end 

 of half an hour to an hour, at a temperature of 

 37 to 40°, in urine, aqueous humor, or serum, the 

 spores lose their refractive power, and their brown- 

 ien movements cease almost entirely ; then the 

 spore assumes an aspect slightly granular, it be- 

 comes elongated in the direction of its greatest 

 diameter (they are oval). After two hours of culti- 

 vation, the bacterium has two or three times the 

 dimensions of the primitive spore ; the elongation 

 makes rapid progress, and four to six hours from 

 the commencement of the cultivation, some may 



