446 APPLIED BACTERIOLOGY 



or magenta colour. The gelatine after some time is 

 liquefied. 



Pototoes.— Similar growth to the above. After some 

 time the culture assumes the peculiar metallic lustre of 

 the aniline dyes. 



Bacillus Megatherium. — This organism was first obtained 

 from cooked cabbage-leaves. It is also found in water. It 

 forms large bacilli with rounded ends, 2-5 /i broad and 

 8 to 9 /i long. It is motile, and forms spores, giving rise 

 to clostridium-like forms, and has a great tendency to form 

 involution forms. Cultural characters : 



Gelatine Plates. — Forms small Hquefying colonies, with 

 small brownish halos. 



Gelatine Tubes.— Growa very rapidly, liquefying the 

 medium in a funnel-shaped tube, until the whole of the 

 gelatine is liquefied. 



Agar-Agar. — A whitish expansion is formed, the agar 

 becoming dark-brown in colour. 



Potatoes. — Forms yellowish-white cheese-like expansion, 

 the growth being restricted to the point of inoculation. 



Spirillum Metschnikovi. — This organism was first observed 

 by Gamaleia in the intestines of fowls. It is pathogenic in 

 the case of fowls, pigeons, and guinea-pigs, but does not 

 affect mice. It very much resembles Koch's cholera 

 spirillum and the Finkler-Prior bacillus. In liquid medium 

 it gives rise to very long spirals, which are very motile ; 

 it gives the indol reaction, as does the cholera spirillum. 

 Cultural characters : 



Gelatine Plates. — Small white colonies form, which soon 

 give rise to cup-like depressions. 



Gelatine Tubes. — Liquefaction of the gelatine takes place 

 in the form of a funnel-like tube, the whole of the medium 

 eventually becoming liquefied. 



