180 
Medical Bacteriology. 
3) Occasionally micro-organisms (pseudo-diphtheria bacilli among others) are met 
with that very closely resemble the Klebs—Loeffler bacillus and render a positive diag- 
nosis doubtful. 
In such eases attention to following table will be helpful: 
B. Diphtheriae 
B. pseudo-diphtheriae 
1) Form 
2) Size 
3) Threads 
4) Grouping 
5) Involution forms 
6) Motility 
7) Stains 
a. Loeffler’s methylen blue 
b. Gram 
c. Neisser 
8) Spores 
9) Alkaline potato 
10) Sugar agar and gelatin 
stab cultures 
11) Neutral litmus milk 
12) Anaerobic cultures in H 
13) Nitroso-indol reaction 
14) Inoculation experiments 
(Guinea pig subcutaneous) 
Slender and of same diameter 
throughout 
Average 1.2-2 
Not formed 
Parallel grouping more or less 
characteristic but do not touch 
Common 
Immotile 
Stains readily giving banded 
or polar stain 
Positive 
Characteristic stain with very 
young cultures, six hours. 
Absent 
Growth almost invisible 
Full length of stab 
Acid reaction 
Grows well 
After 7 days 
Death 36-48 hours. 
Thicker at center than ends, 
plumper and shorter and less 
variable than B. diphtheriae 
Averaging 1-1.6 @ 
Not formed 
Parallel but lie closer together 
Rare 
Immotile 
Stains more regularly 
Polar stain rare 
Positive 
Not under 24 hours 
Absent 
Visible and cream colored in 2 
days 
Only at upper part 
Alkaline reaction 
No growth 
After 21 days 
Non-pathogenic 
PyoGcEenic Micrococct. 
1) Stained cover-glass preparations are examined and if micrococci are found make: | 
2) Smear cultures, or better agar plate cultures and work up the colonies as they 
appear. 
Monta CANDIDA (Organism of Thrush). 
The material is collected by removing a portion of the patches or membrane and ex- 
amining it: 
1) Under the microscope in a drop of glycerine. 
2) Cover-glass preparations stained with carbol-fuchsin or Gram’s method. 
3) By means of smear cultures on agar or blood serum, the resulting growth being 
examined either in glycerine mounts or stained cover-glass preparations. 
REFERENCES. 
EXERCISE CVII. 
v. J. 95; 8. 101. 
See also various texts under special organism. 
EXAMINATION OF SPUTUM. 
Definition. By this term is meant all of the material derived from the air passages 
by the act of coughing or hawking. 
For diagnostic purposes it is best collected in a salt- 
mouthed bottle (about 2 oz. capacity) which has been sterilized. The morning sputum 
is best and before being collected the mouth should be rinsed out with water. 
METHOD OF COLLECTION. 
