Date: Fri, 30 May 1997 12:36:36 -0500 (EST) From: jcavanau@indyunix.iupui.edu (john e. cavanaugh) To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2128$foo@default> Subject: fuzzy pink buggies
> Hi,remember I while ago I had said that my Flinestones vitamins
>experiment was
> a failure for cp,well I tried it again and sure enough it started to
> germinate,but the day after I first saw a sign of germination I noticed
> bacteria!!!The next I woke the plant was dead.I can't believe the bacteria
> came and killed so quickly.So if I can only sterlize evrything properly next
> time ,there will be no contamination and the it will be a complete
>success.The
> stuff I created was ok to smell at first ,but as soon as the fuzzy pink
> bacteria came when I smelled it I would get really bad headaches.I just threw
> the thing away.And I am glad I did or I would have many more headaches.
>
> Happy cping,
> Robert
>
> P.S. Is bacteria that forms in flasks normally pink and fuzzy?
>
> That bacteria was actual a fungus or mould of some sort. The reason
>it gave yu headaches was because many of these produce toxins and other
>irritants. DON'T sniff any chemical, flask, etc. You're lucky all it did
>was give you a headache. If the flask is fungused, it should really be
>autoclaved to sterilize it. Be careful everyone!
>Regards,
>Chris
Hello list,
The pink slime described appear to be a "textbook" case of Rhodospirillum,
a genus of spiral, flagellate bacteriacea which have many colony
characteristics resembling fungi grossly but are in fact true bacteria. The
fumes, although unpleasant, are not harmful (no bacteria produce toxic
fumes).
Good growing (of CP, that is)
John E. Cavanaugh, MD, MS
Fellow, Forensic Pathology
Indiana University Medical Center
Indianapolis, IN
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