Bacillus Fluorescens Putidus, Flugge. 



FLUORESCING BACILLUS OF WATER. 



Origin. — Putrid media, water. 

 Form. — Short, small rods, with rounded ends. 

 Motility. — Very actively motile. 



Sporulation. — No spores observed on ordinary media. 

 On althea, or on quince-jelly splendid spores form (Migula). 

 Anilin dyes. — Stain readily. 

 Growth. — Eapid. 



Gelatin plates. — The deep colonies are small, round, and finely- 

 granular. The surface colonies spread rapidly and form at first a 

 very thin plaque, with irregular, wavy border which shows markings. 

 Later, a bluish green color diffuses through the surrounding gelatin. 

 Odor of trimethylamin. No liquefaction. 



Stab culture. — No growth in the lower part of the tube. The sur- 

 face of the gelatin is covered with a grayish white growth. The 

 fluorescing pigment gradually diffuses downward into the gelatin. 

 The gelatin itself becomes yellowish. 



Streak cultu/re.— On agar, a moist, spreading growth. The agar be- 

 comes greenish, but later on the color fades. On petato, a thin gray- 

 ish or brownish, moist growth forms. 



Oxygen requirements. — Aerobic. 



Temperature. — Ordinary room temperature is best. 



Behavior to gelatin. — It does not liquefy. 



Pigment production. — This occurs only in the presence 

 of air. Sulphur and phosphorus seem to be necessary. 

 The coloring matter is soluble in water, and hence, 

 diffuses into the surrounding medium. It possesses fluor- 

 escing properties; in other words it exhibits one color by 

 transmitted light (yellow), and another (bluish-green), by 

 reflected light. The pigment is destroyed by acids and is 

 favored by alkali, such as ammonia. Colorless varieties can 

 be obtained, by insolation and otherwise, as in the case of 

 other pigment bacteria. 



Pathogenesis. — It is without action on animals. 



About a score of species or varieties of liquefying and 



non-liquefying fluorescing bacteria have been isolated from 



water, air, soil and various sources. The green diarrhea 



of children, green sputum, etc., may in some cases, be due 



to organisms of this class. 



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