THE ORGANISMS OF SUPPURATION. 171 



of the air, etc. lb is present in different kinds of 

 acute processes, and is nearly always to be found in 

 cases of boils, of suppuration in hair follicles, and of 

 sebaceous glands. It has also been demonstrated as 

 the chief exciting cause of some severe diseases, such 

 as pyaemia and ulcerative endocarditis ; perhaps, or 

 it may even be said probably, it is the cause of acute 

 osteomyelitis, although in this case other organisms 

 are also present. It does not often follow the course 

 of the lymphatics, but rather destroys the tissue in 

 circumscribed areas. 



Its cultures are easily prepared, and sure to suc- 

 ceed. It is best, however, to take the material for in- 

 oculating the gelatine from recent abscesses, etc., and 

 further, not from the pus itself, but from the edge of 

 the tissue which has not yet broken down. There the 

 micrococci have the most vitality, whereas in the pus 

 itself now and again there are none or only dead ones 

 to be found, and hence the cultures are a failure. 



A small trace of this material is taken with a 

 sterilised platinum wire, and is introduced into a test- 

 tube full of fluid gelatine. After they have been well 

 mixed together, a small portion is taken out of the 

 test-tube and is introduced with another sterilised wire 

 into a second test-tube full of fluid gelatine. It is 

 scarcely necessary to make a third attenuation. The 

 test-tubes are then emptied into sterilised glass vessels, 

 and kept at a temperature of about 20° to 22° C. 



