SIZE AND STRUCTURE OF THE BACTERIAL CELL. 



39 



reason, therefore, to believe that all motile bacteria give 

 rise to these so-called giant-whips. It is possible that the 

 spirals observed in the intestinal contents of cholera, and 

 those present in hospital gangrene, are not distinct organ- 

 isms, but rather altered flagella. The author has found 

 giant whips in the bodies of animals (Fig 7 of. 



Their size can be inferred from the fact that they can 

 be seen in unstained specimens. The larger forms can be 

 easily seen with a No. 3 objective. The author has repeat- 

 edly found giant- whips that were 70 ij. in length. In one 

 instance the length was 132 ,a, or rh of an inch. 



Fig. 7. Giant whips, a and b from photographs of Bacillus oedematis maligni 

 No. II. a — Colorless spiral in streak preparation from peritoneum of a guinea-pig — 

 bacilli stained; ^ — Large spindlershaped spiral, compared with ordinary whips; c — 

 Slender, long spiral form. 



The giant- whips are invariably motionless and usually 

 are spindle-shaped. In this case the borders are wavy and 

 corresponding diagonal bands will be seen, resembling the 

 twisted appearance of a rope. Sometimes a spindle seems 

 to divide lengthwise, so that it appears as if two spindles 

 diverged from a common point. The thick spindle is not 

 the only form in which the giant- whip is met with. It may 

 be a slender, wavy, very long spiral, without any enlarge- 

 ment or thickening. Such spirals may extend through the 

 entire field. These thread-shaped giant-whips may be 

 single, but they may also be bunched, proceeding, as it 

 were, from a common point. The giant- whips are especially 

 abundant in the water of condensation which is present in 



1 Zeitschrift fur Hygiene, 17, plates 1 and 2. 



