EGGS 193 



with methylene blue. This egg albumen organism requires 

 further careful study. 



The following general methods for making bacteriological 

 examinations of eggs and of egg products are recommended. 



To examine fresh eggs for bacteria proceed as follows : Scrub 

 the egg well in clean sterilized water by means of a sterile hand 

 brush. Soak in corrosive sublimate solution (i-iooo) for 3 

 min., rinse in boiled water and wipe ;dry with a sterilized 

 cotton cloth. Flame the end to be opened and set into a suitable 

 holder (the ordinary breakfast table egg holder will answer the 

 purpose after being sterilized), and with a sterile instrument 

 crack open the flamed end and by means of a sterile forceps 

 pick away small pieces of the shell without rupturing the egg 

 membrane, making a hole large enough to introduce a sterile 

 pipette. Rupture the egg membrane with a sterile forceps and 

 take out 2 cc. of the white of the egg, place in a tared flask with 

 broken glass and reweigh. Add 10 cc. of physiological salt solu- 

 tion and shake for 10 min., and then plate definite volumes. 



To plate the yolk, break the egg in the usual manner merely 

 being careful that the yolk membrane is not ruptured; remove 

 the white of the egg by pouring back and forth in the two parts of 

 the shell. Let the yolk rest in the larger part of the shell and 

 puncture the vitelHne membrane by means of a sterile forceps. 

 Withdraw 2 cc. of the yolk and proceed as for the white of the 



egg- 

 To make bacterial counts of eggs which are quite badly 

 spoiled (rotten eggs), simply break the thoroughly cleansed egg 

 in the usual manner into a suitable sterilized dish and mix thor- 

 oughly (white and yolk) by means of a sterile egg beater. Let 

 stand for 5 min., suitably covered to keep out air bacteria. 

 Skim off the foam caused by the stirring and take up i cc. of the 

 mixed egg mass and add to 9 cc. of boiled distilled water, and 

 shake for 10 min. as for the examination of the white of fresh 

 eggs. Make direct counts from suitable dilutions and also plate 



