PROTEUS

(Lat.), n. m. Prot'u11s. From Hpon-ei!?, a sea-god who changed his form at will. 1. Of Hauser, a genus of Schizomycetes (Bacilli). [B. 308 (a, 35).] 2. A genus of the Urodela. P. mirabilis. A species having the same habitat and the same pathogemc action as P. vidgaris, but distinguished by the much more frequent occurrence of spherical (or pear-shaped or sperm a to zooid-like) forms (involution forms) from 375 ^ to 7 /u in diameter. It liquefies the gelatin more slowly than P. vulgar is. [B. 238 (o, 35).] P. vulgar is. The common species of the genus, occurring in putrefying animal matter, contents of putrid ulcers, etc., in forms about 6 ft in thickne , but varying in length. Sometimes they appear as bacilli 1'25 n to 3'75 ft long, often ciliated, sometimes as twisted convoluted threads (regarded by Hauser as spirilla), and sometimes as rods so short as to seem nearly spherical. Liquid cultivations, unle first filtered through plaster cylinders, set up putrefaction even in boiled and sterilized meat. Small doses are not pathogenic in animals. Somewhat large doses cause at the point of injection absce es. In rabbits and guinea pigs large subcutaneous injections produce symptoms of poisoning. [B, 238 (a, 35).] P. Zenkeri. A species resembling in its effects the P. vulgar is, except that the odor developed by its cultivations is not pronounced and it does not liquefy gelatin. It occurs in rods 0'4 ft in breadth, and averaging 1'65 M in length. Spirilla are rarely formed. [B, 238 (o, 35).] Cf. AMODBA. PROTHALLIUM (Lat.), [s. 342]