Medical Officers of the Army of India.3
save in respect to loss of power to dissolve gelatine, has retained the characters
which originally distinguished it entirely unaltered,
G. H. XVIII. Received 29th March 1894.
Plate cultures :—Colonies pale ochreous, finely granular, with shaded centre
and border ; interstitial nucleus, when present, not sharply defined and of a sepia
tint. The earlier plate cultures had a very characteristic odour, very strong and
bitter-sweet, like that of decaying apples, later ones had a musty odour, quite un
-like that of plate cultures of any other form save G. XXII ; colonies usually de
- v e l o p e d p i n k c o l o u r w i t h 3 3 p e r c e n t . n i t r i c a c i d a f t e r 2 4 h o u r s ' g r o w t h . Tube cultivations in agar-agar :—Gave throughout rapid and copious
superficial and interstitial growth, when carried on continuous series. Trans
- f e r s f r o m p o t a t o c u l t i v a t i o n s , f o r a c o n s i d e r a b l e p e r i o d , i n v a r i a b l y s h o w e d r a p i d
growth, both superficial and interstitial ; but, after a time, the vigour of super
- f i c i a l g r o w t h d i m i n i s h e d v e r y c o n s i d e r a b l y a n d i n t e r s t i t i a l g r o w t h d i s a p p e a r e d
entirely. Surface growths ultimately very thick, dryish, absolutely incoherent.
Medium rapidly darkening so long as interstitial growth occurred.
Tube cultivations in common gelatine :—Liquefaction proceeding slowly in
a tapering column, extending along the entire length of the track.
Cultivations on potatoes :—Almost from the outset, relatively slow, and
ordinarily not appearing for four or five days. Nodulated, dry, very thick,
sharply defined, of very firm, waxy consistence. Colour, at first very pale ochre,
gradually becoming strong pink. A neutral halo appearing relatively early and
gradually spreading over all the exposed surface of the potato, deepening as it
does so to strong bluish neutral. Smell, faint and yeasty. Elements, small
commas, usually only slightly curved. Margins lobulated. For a period of many
months successive transfers invariably gave vigorous growth, but after a time
the development became very slow and ultimately practically abortive, Up to
the end, however, such growths as took place retained their characteristic dis
- t i n c t i v e f e a t u r e s q u i t e u n c h a n g e d . Broth cultures :—Strike pale, bright purple throughout, within 24 hours,
with chemically pure sulphuric acid.
G. H. XX. Received August 5th, 1895, and set at once.
Almost colourless, opaque, watery fluid, and abundant white pulverulent
deposit. Smell strong, offensive. The addition of nitric acid gave rise to
violent effervescence, but was not attended by the development of any pink colour.
Reaction at first faintly alkaline, becoming faintly acid on drying.
A plate cultivation yielded only a limited number of colonies, all of one kind.
They were tenacious in consistence, ochreous in the thicker central portions, and
bluish green peripherally, and consisted of beautiful, slender, slightly curved
commas. Sub-plate retained the same character. No pink with nitric acid.
Tube cultivations in agar-agar :—Abundant, very thick, creamy, pure white,
extremely adhesive superficial growth ; consisting of slender, slightly curved
B 2