PROTOBACTERIAL FORMS OF B. DIPHTHERIAE

Abstract

From broth cultures of Bacillus diphtheriae which had undergone aging and loss of water, filtrates were obtained which, on serial transfer, yielded visible growth in 11 of 19 cultures. The organisms obtained after a sequence of other morphologic types were indistinguishable from bacilli of the diph-theroid group. No correlation between development of the protobacterial form and any attribute of the organism was observed.