Infectious disease inspection method and apparatus therefor

An apparatus for identifying a species of micro-organism in a test liquid, comprising;

• means for supplying a test liquid containing a species of micro-organism such that the test liquid is received simultaneously within a plurality of culture cells containing different culture mediums to form different combinations of test liquid and mediums;
• means for detecting differences in dissolved oxygen quantities in the different combinations within said culture cells which oxygen electrodes respectively correspond to said culture cells, and with the differences in dissolved oxygen consumption between the species in the test liquid and the different mediums in the combinations and at least one of said different mediums including a respiration interfering material therein for interfering with respiration of living bodies;
• and
• means for identifying a species of micro-organism in the test liquid based upon a comparison of output signals from said oxygen electrodes, which output signals correspond with a level of dissolved oxygen in said culture cells detected by said oxygen electrodes, and by correlating said output signals with stored information as to established attributes of a variety of different species subject to al least one medium which is in common with at least one of said mediums in said culture cells.