38 Structure and Classification of Micro-organisms 



bacteriaceje and the Chlamydobacteriaceae. Some, like Petruschky, 

 believe them to be more closely related to the true molds than to the 

 bacteria. They are characterized by filamentous forms with real or 

 apparent branchings. The filaments are usually regularly divided 

 transversely, so as to appear as if composed of bacilli. The free 

 ends only seem to be endowed with reproductive functions, and 

 develop peculiar elements that differentiate the higher from the 

 other bacteria ^hose cells are all equally free and independent. 



Leptothrix.— These comprise long threads which do not branch. 

 They are not always easily separated from chains of bacilli. They 

 rarely appear to play a pathogenic r61e, though those inhabiting 

 the mouth occasionally secure a foothold upon the edges of the 

 tonsillar crypts, where they grow, with the formation of persistent 



Fig. 7.- 



-Cladotlirix, showing false branching. (From Hiss and Zinsser, 

 Book of Bacteriology," D. Appleton & Co., publishers.) 



'Text- 



white patches. This form of leptothrix mycosis is chronic and diffi- 

 cult to treat. The leptothrix is a very difficult organism to secure 

 in culture. The attempts of Vignal* and of Arustamofff were 

 successful, but upon the usual culture-media the organisms grew 

 very sparingly. 



Cladothrix.— These also produce long thread-like filaments, but 

 they occasionally show what is described as false branching; that is, 

 branches seem to originate from the threads, but no distinct connec- 

 tion between the thread and the apparent branch obtains. None of 

 the cladothrices is known to be pathogenic. They are frequent 

 organisms of the atmospheric dust, and not infrequently appear as 



* "Annales de physiologic," 1886. 



t KoUe and Wassermann, "Handbuch der Pathogenen Mikroorganismen," 

 1903, II, p. 851; Wratsch, 1889. 



