BACILLUS OF TETANUS 163 



mould, but, although anaerobic, it may be distinguished by 

 the fact that its rods are not endowed with motility, and 

 are of a different shape. 



An oedema containing a reddish fluid which swarms 

 with bacilli, and is charged with bubbles of gas, is found 

 on making post-mortem examinations of the infected 

 animals, and bacilli are also encountered in great numbers 

 in the peritoneal fluid. 



Cultures in bouillon retain their power of infection for 

 a long time, even for several months. 



In the case of the mouse the bacilli effect an entrance 

 from the tissues into the circulation, probably by penetrat- 

 ing the walls of the blood-vessels. 







Fig. 60.— Islet of the Bacillus op Malig- Fig. 61. — ^Tetaxus B.^cilli with Ter- 

 N.ix']' CEdema (^Bacillus septicus) ox A siixal Spores. 



Gelatine Plate. (After Mac6.) 



According to Penzo the bacilli of malignant oedema, 

 notwithstanding their strict anaerobiosis, develop in ordi- 

 nary cultures from which oxygen is not excluded, provided 

 these are simultaneously inoculated with Bacillus prodigio- 

 sus or Proteus vulgaris. 



The oedema bacilli break up albumen, according to 

 Kerry, producing the ordinary putrefactive processes, and, 

 in addition, an exceedingly poisonous oily body, which is 

 formed by the oxidation of valerianic acid. 



Bacillus of tetanus. — The tetanus bacillus was discovered 

 by Nicolaier in garden mould, and in pus from the wounds 

 of iDatients who had died of the disease; but Carle and 

 Eafctone had already established the fact that tetanus is 



M 2 



