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Introduction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 December 2009

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Summary

It is assumed that the reader of this Manual has some knowledge and experience of bacteriology and of elementary chemistry and that the basic principles including those of laboratory safety are understood. Thus, though many other essential details are given in the Appendices, how to determine the pH value of a medium, or how to make a normal or molar solution, is not described; nor are details given about how to use anaerobic jars or microscopes. Serology is not discussed but methods commonly used in the preparation of extracts for grouping streptococci are described as the Lancefield serological groups are referred to in Table 6.3b. Details of sterilization temperatures and times are also given as these so-called standard procedures still vary from one laboratory to another.

This Manual is intended to help those who have isolated a bacterium and want to identify it. The methods used by clinical bacteriologists to isolate organisms from specimens sent to the laboratory are not described as to do so would be to enter everchanging fields, and our recommendations might well be out of date. We stress, however, that before identification of any organism is attempted, it must be obtained in pure culture. Some advice on how to recognize that a culture is impure, and on the steps to be taken to purify it, is therefore given.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1993

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  • Introduction
  • Edited by G. I. Barrow, R. K. A. Feltham
  • Book: Cowan and Steel's Manual for the Identification of Medical Bacteria
  • Online publication: 15 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511527104.006
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  • Introduction
  • Edited by G. I. Barrow, R. K. A. Feltham
  • Book: Cowan and Steel's Manual for the Identification of Medical Bacteria
  • Online publication: 15 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511527104.006
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Introduction
  • Edited by G. I. Barrow, R. K. A. Feltham
  • Book: Cowan and Steel's Manual for the Identification of Medical Bacteria
  • Online publication: 15 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511527104.006
Available formats
×