During attempts to isolate tunnelling bacteria in pure culture, physical separation from other bacteria was successfully achieved by the use of cellophane. Cellophane was used in liquid cultures as a substrate for tunnelling bacteria that were present in a mixture with other bacteria. By tunnelling into cellophane, TB were physically removed from contaminating bacteria which could then be removed by simple washing of the cellophane surface. The physically separated bacteria within the cellophane failed, however, to grow on various agar or liquid media. The reasons for this are discussed.

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