STUDIES ON THE STRUCTURE OF LEPTOSPIRA AS REVEALED BY THE ELECTRON MICROSCOPE

Abstract

A slime-like layer envelops both the protoplasmic spiral and central fila-ment of leptospira. By washing repeatedly, the covering layer is gradually removed and the filament comes clearly into view. This layer is easily fixable with osmic acid and, when fixed, it looks like a bacterial cell wall.
In specimens treated with immune serum, the central filament is preserved in comparatively good state and many detached filaments are observable; the protoplasmic spiral being strongly damaged.