566 PATHOGENIC MICROORGANISMS 



is comparatively simple, both because of the ease of its cultivation and 

 because of the sharply characteristic features of its morphological and 

 cultural appearance. 



Cultivation. — The anthrax bacillus is an aerobic, facultatively anaero- 

 bic bacillus. WTiile it may develop slowly and sparsely under anaerobic 

 conditions, free oxygen is required to permit its luxuriant and charac- 

 teristic growth. 



The optimum temperature for its cultivation ranges about 37.5° C. 

 It is not, however, delicately susceptible to moderate variations of tem- 



FiG. 122. — Bacillus anthracis. In smear of spleen of animal dead of anthrax. 



perature and growth does not cease until temperatures as low as 12° C. 

 or as high as 45° G. are reached. By continuous cultivation at some of 

 the temperatures near either the higher or the lower of these limits, the 

 bacillus may become well adapted to the new environment and attain 

 luxuriant growth.' 



The anthrax bacillus may be cultivated on all of the usual artificial 

 media, growing upon the meat-extract as well as upon the meat-infusion 

 media. > 



' Dieudonne, Arb. a. d. kais. Gesundheitsamt, 1894. 



