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a species of Bacillus found in soil and decomposing organic matter; some strains produce antibiotics

A species of gram-positive bacteria that is a common soil and water saprophyte.

Non-pathogenic b. from air, water, soil, and decaying matter.

A bacillus found in the air, in dust, in vegetable infusions, especially an infusion of hay, as a white efflorescence on the dung of herbivora, and in many other situations. On agar-agar it forms a thick, wrinkled, readily separable coating, and on potatoes a moist, granular, whitish layer. The Bacillus subtilis resembles strongly in morphological characters the Bacillus anthracis, differing from it chiefly in that its rods are motile, somewhat slenderer, and have rounded ends, and its spores germinate transversely and not in an axial direction. It liquefies gelatin, blood serum, and casein, and renders milk alkaline. Indol is negative. It has no pathogenic properties.