The life-history of Bacterium termo and Micrococcus : with further observations on Bacillus / by J. Cossar Ewart ; communicated by Professor Huxley.

  • Ewart, J. C. (James Cossar), 1851-1933.
Date:
1878
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The life-history of Bacterium termo and Micrococcus : with further observations on Bacillus / by J. Cossar Ewart ; communicated by Professor Huxley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    the peach-coloured granular disks figured by Lankester from old culti- vations of Bacterium rubescens, in which “ the nourishment had dwin- dled to its very smallest limit.” In the zoogloea all the Bacilli were quiescent, and it is important to observe that in none of them was there any appearance of division; but around the edge (Series I, k) some were in active motion, whether entering or leaving the motile stage I do not know. The close resemblance of these masses, both in form and in time of appearance to the “ macroplasts ” of Lankester,* led me to watch their development. First, the spore divided into four sporules quite as in Bacillus anthracis,] but these sporules again divided forming a granular mass (Series IY, d, e), division and growth going on simul- taneously till a large very fiuely granular sphere was produced. (Series IY, g.) When one of the large spheres was broken up, round particles (Series IY, h) spread far and wide over the field. These particles, when placed in a fresh drop of sea water enlarged (Series IV, i) and germinated into rods. (Series IY, J.) If then a single minute spore is thus capable of pi’oducing innumer- able still more minute germs, and if these, as all experiment tends to show, resist desiccation at ordinary temperatures, Professor Huxley’s dictum may unhesitatingly be repeated and endorsed, that, consider- ing the lightness of Bacterium germs, and the wide diffusion of the organisms which produce them, it is impossible to conceive that they should not be suspended in the atmosphere in myriads. Mo rp ho logical Considerat ions. Various investigators, notably Huxley and Lankester, have long ago asserted the Protean nature of Bacteria, and the accompanying plate (exclusively compiled from actual observation), is an attempt to summarise and define what we at present know of the phases through which three of these forms, Bacillus, Bacterium, and Micro- coccus may pass. Such a diagrammatic representation may be the more useful, seeing that at present our knowledge is scattered through many papers. Series I represents the most common phases through which Bacillus may pass. The spore germinates into a rod, this divides, the portions, if at rest, either falling apart or forming a jointed filament (/). The motile stage may be assumed, during which division also goes on (g), zigzag forms being produced which have often been mistaken for Vibriones. While division is going on, the development of the cilia is often beautifully seen with a high immersion. First, the cellulose * “ Quart. Journ. Micro. Science,” vol. xvii, New Series, p. 27, Pinto III. f Lov. cit.