CHAPTER XIX 
BACILLUS BOTULINUS. BACILLUS MALLEI. 
BACILLUS PYOCYANEUS 
Bacillus Botulinus 
Bacillus botulinus causes about 25 per cent of all meat 
poisoning, a very dangerous disease. It was discovered 
by Van Ermengem in 1896. It is a large rod, 4 to 6 /x, 
motile, has flagella, no spores, no capsules, is Gram-posi¬ 
tive, is a strict anaerobe, grows well on meat infusion 
media. It produces an exotoxin. 
Bacillus Mallei 
Bacillus mallei causes glanders. It is a small bacillus, 
is nonmotile, has no flagella, no spores, no capsules, is 
Gram-negative, stains with methylene blue, it is not un¬ 
like the diphtheria bacillus, stained parts alternate with 
faint parts, grows well on meat infusion media. 
It produces an endotoxin. 
In diagnosing the disease, the mallein test is used: a 
small amount of the endotoxin is injected in the skin, 
and the presence of infection, a severe reaction takes 
place. 
Bacillus Pyocyaneus 
Bacillus pyocyaneus causes green suppurations which 
are fortunately rare, for while they are not dangerous, 
they seriously interfere with healing. Occasionally kid¬ 
ney infections are caused by this organism (the author 
saw three cases within six months). 
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