134 



PHARMACEUTICAL BACTERIOLOGY 



is a fact if the postulate herein submitted, to the effect that they are im- 

 mature pulp cells, is correct. 



c. Nucleo-spharocytes. — These resemble the leuco-sphaerocytes as to 

 form and as to presence of vacuoles, but differ in that they contain nuclei 

 and distinct nucleoli and usually also brown coloring matter. The nuclei 

 are comparatively large and resemble those of the mature pulp cells of the 

 tomato. Dull brown to reddish brown chromophores are usually aggre- 

 gated about the nucleus. There is no evidence of the presence of an 

 outer membrane or cell-wall. In the green tomato the nucleo-sphsero- 

 cytes may also show chlorophyll granules aggregated about the nucleus. 



Fig. 47. — Nucleo-spharocytes from hanging drop, twelve days old. A, living 

 nucleated sphaerocytes. B, dying sphaerocytes showing extruding vacuoles. C, 

 septation (?) as observed in hanging drop. D, a group ot dead sphaerocytes in hanging 

 drop. 



The most remarkable characteristic of the nucleo-sphaerocytes is their 

 great vitality. Crushed tomato pulp in the hanging drop incubated at 

 25° to 30° C. and also kept at normal room temperature, showed that the 

 nucleo-sphaerocytes will remain alive for many months whereas the normal 

 tissue cells and inclusive of most other forms of sphaerocytes, die almost at 

 once or at the longest within a period of twenty-four to forty-eight hours. 



d. Chromo-sphcBrocytes. — These are generally larger than the nucleo- 

 sphaerocytes and contain a variable number of reddish brown coloring 

 bodies (chromophores), irregular in outline, .apparently identical with 

 the coloring bodies of the tomato parenchyma. Abundant vacuoles are 

 found. In the hanging drop, the chromophores become diffused through 

 the plasmic substance of the sphaerocyte, losing their morphological iden- 

 tity entirely. 



