158 Culture Charactees 



The Micrococcus gonorrhoeae does not grow on the ordinary arti- 

 ficial media but may be cultivated on the following : 



a. Blood agar. Blood drawn from the finger, under aseptic pre- 

 cautions, into a capillary pipette is placed on the surface of agar 

 either in tube or Petri dish. This blood is then inoculated with 

 the material containing the organism (pus or pure culture) and 

 smeared over the surface of the agar either with the loop, or better, 

 by means of a sterile camel's hair brush. 



b. Wertheim's method. Human blood-serum (from placenta or 

 pleuritic or other effusion may be used) in a fluid and sterile condi- 

 tion is placed in two or three test-tubes. These are heatqd to 40° C. 

 and inoculated with the material containing the organism, making 

 dilutions from one to another, if necessary. To each tube is then 

 added an equal quantity of nutrient (ordinary or 2%) agar thor- 

 oughly liquefied and cooled to 40° C. The two are then thoroughly 

 mixed and quickly poured into Petri dishes and placed in the incu- 

 bator at 38° C. Colonies appear in 24 hours. 



c. Eabbit blood-serum may be used either in a fluid or solid 

 condition. 



