Pathogenic Bacteria

CHAPTER XII.
TETRAGBNUS.

THERE can sometimes be found in the normal saliva,
more commonly in tuberculous sputum, and still more
commonly in the cavities of "tuberculosis pulmonalis, a
large micrococcus grouped in fours and known as the
Micrococcus tetragenus (Fig. 123). It was discovered by

FlG. 123.—Micrococcus tetragenus in pus from, a white mouse ; x 615 (Heim).

GafFky, and subsequently carefully studied by Koch and
GafFky. It sometimes occurs in the pus of acute ab-
scesses, and may be of importance in connection with
the pulmonary abscesses which so often complicate tu-
berculosis.

The cocci are rather large, measuring about i // in
diameter. In cultures they show no particular arrange-
ment among themselves, but in the blood and tissues of
animals they commonly appear arranged in groups of
four surrounded by a transparent gelatinous capsule.

The organism stains well by ordinary methods, and

443