BACILLUS ANTHRACIS. 359 



every segment of the long thread, and gives to the 

 thread the appearance of a string of glistening beads. 

 (Fig. 78.) In this stage they remain but a short time. 

 The chains of spores, which are held together by the 



Fig. 77. 









Bacillus anlhracis. Plaited and twisted threads seen lu fresh growing 

 cultures, x about 400 diameters. 



remains of the cells in whicli they formed, become 

 broken up, and eventually nothing but free oval spores, 

 and here and there the remains of mature bacilli 

 which have undergone degenerative changes can be 



Fig. 78. 



Threads of bacillus anlhracis containing spores. X about 1200 diameters. 



found. In this condition the spores, capable of resist- 

 ing deleterious influences, remain and, unless their sur- 

 roundings are altered, have been seen to continue in 

 this living, though inactive, condition for a very long 



