MICROCOCCUS LANCEOLATUS. 503 
to restore this virulence, or to keep it from becoming 
attenuated, it is necessary, therefore, to interrupt the 
transplantation and pass the organism through the 
bodies of susceptible animals. 
With the view of overcoming some of these, obstacles 
in the way of cultivating this micrococcus, several spe- 
cial media have been proposed by various experimenters 
in the place of the ordinary culture media. The best 
fluid medium for the growth of the pneumococcus is 
Marmorek’s mixture, consisting of bouillon, 2 parts ; 
ascitic or pleuritic fluid, 1 part. In this fluid pneumo- 
cocci grow well, and cultures when preserved in a cool 
place and prevented from drying retain their vitality 
and also their virulence for a number of months. 
Lambert has found cultures in this medium alive and 
fully virulent after eight months. 
Léffler’s blood-serum mixture is probably the best 
solid tube medium for making cultures, and is very 
convenient and useful at autopsies. One and one-half 
per cent. fluid nutrient agar mixed with one-third its 
quantity of warm ascitic fluid makes an excellent plate 
medium. 
Effects of Germicidal Agents, Light and Drying. The 
following are the effects of germicidal and antiseptic 
agents on this organism, according to observations 
made by Sternberg: Boric acid, saturated solution, 
failed to destroy the vitality after two hours, but a so- 
lution of 1: 400 restrained its development; carbolic 
acid, 1 per cent. solution, destroys the vitality in two 
hours, and 1: 500 restrains development; mercuric chlo- 
ride,1 : 20,000, destroys vitality in two hours, 1 : 40,000 
restrains development; salicylic acid and sodium bibo- 
rate, 1 : 400 solution, restrained development. 
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