I'rJ MEETING OF INSPECTORS OF A.P1ABIE8. 



processes are seen to shout out from these masses, which may extend through 

 the gelatin for long distances from the Track, being thickened at various parts 

 and clubbed at the ends. These processes do uol appear to join one another at 

 their ends. A very beautiful and characteristic appearance is i_ r ot where very 

 few bacilli arc introduced with the ueedle and where, therefore, at various parts 

 of the track, more especially at the lower part, individual bacilli or groups of 

 bacilli are planted at a considerable distance from each other. In a few days 

 minute round whitish specks become visible to the naked eye. These increase in 

 size till in ahottt ten days shoots begin to appear. These radiate from the 

 central mass in all directions and become uodular at various parts, as described 

 above. When such a cultivation is old. the white branches disappear, and only 

 little whitish collections of bacilli are seen at various parts. On examining such 

 a tube with the pocket lens, however, numerous watery-looking tracts are seen 

 running through the gelatin from the central mass to the whitish collections. 

 The gelatin at the upper part of the track generally evaporates, to some extent 

 giving rise to the air-bubble appearance so characteristic of the cholear bacillus. 

 These are the appearances seen where the material contains gelatin in the pro- 

 portion of h> per cent. Where less gelatin is present, the naked eye appearances, 

 while possessing the same characteristics, are somewhat different. The shoots 

 are much more numerous and appear much more rapidly, giving rise to a 

 haziness around the middle track, which with the pocket lens is seen to consist 

 of numerous delicate branches clubbed at the ends, as in tin- former case. I 

 think the amount of pepton present also makes a difference in the appearance, 

 though of this point I am not yet absolutely certain. The most characteristic 

 growth is. however, obtained when the material contains :', per cent pepton as 

 well as 1<> per cent gelatin, the shoots being then less numerous and much 

 coarser. And I can easily understand that this would he the case, for the bacilli 

 would have a large supply of nutriment in their immediate vicinity without the 

 necessity of having, so to speak, to spread out through the gelatin in search of 

 food as may he the case where no pepton. or only a small amount, is present 

 This appearance is quite characteristic of this bacillus and is not seen in the 

 cultivation of any other organism that I know of. The bacilli of anthrax and 

 of mouse septicaemia also spread out from the needle track, but the appearance 

 of their cultivation is quite different. In anthrax delicate threads, not clubbed, 

 shoot otit from the track, soon anastomosing with other threads and forming a 

 delicate network throughout the gelatin. In mouse septicaemia the appearance 

 is that of a delicate cloudiness spreading through the gelatin. These foul-broi d 

 bacilli, growing in this material, render it liquid after a time, the liquefaction 

 beginning at the surface and only spreading slowly downwards, hut ultimately the 

 whole tube becomes liquid. After two or three weeks' growth the appearance 

 presented by the tube is that of a layer of liquid at the upper part, and the 

 growth along the needle track with the other appearances described at the 

 lower part. The liquid portion is clear, except at the bottom of the liquid, where 

 there is a loose white flocculent deposit of bacilli, and on the surface there may 

 be a very thin scum. The liquid becomes yellowish in colour after a time and 

 gives off an odor of stale but not ammoniacal urine, or what may he better 

 described as a shrimpy smell. This yellowish colour and the peculiar odour 

 have been found by Mr. Cheshire to be distinctive of the diseased larva-. 



(b) If gelatin he poured out on a plate, allowed («> solidify, and then stroked 

 with an infected needle, we learn the explanation of the appearances seen in the 

 test-tube cultivations. The bacilli at first grow along the needle track, hut very 

 soon they are seen to be collecting at parts forming pointed processes, from 

 the processes the bacilli grow out into the gelatin, often a single series of rods, 

 in Indian tile, or two or three rods side by side. These processes are not quite 



