OXYGEN FROM COLOURED BACTERIA. 145 
It is also quite within the bounds of possibility that this 
phenomenon may be more widely distributed throughout the 
organic kingdom than at first appears to be the case. Thus 
Beyerinck concludes, more from theoretical grounds than from 
practical experimentation, that certain ansrobes require for 
their eontinued existence a trace of oxygen, but that a mere 
traee suffices, and this trace is stored up in the Bacteria them- 
selves. Similarly with phosphorescent Bacteria, he finds that 
they continue to phosphoresce for a short time after all external 
oxygen has been removed. This last phenomenon, however, 
seems to be strietly comparable with the phenomenon known as 
intramolecular respiration, such as can go on for a time in any 
higher plant when all external oxygen has been removed. The 
absorption of oxygen by the coloured bacterial pigments above 
mentioned does not appear to be sufficient to account for the 
phenomena of anerobism, for all the stored oxygen is apparently 
used up in the course of a few hours. All of the above coloured 
Bacteria which ean evolve oxygen, with the exception of Bacillus 
brunneus, about which nothing is said, are stated by Lehmann 
and Neumann * to be capable of developing as anzrobes. Since, 
however, in the absence of oxygen no pigment is formed it 
Appears that we have to do in this case simply with Bacteria 
Which have two varieties, one being a pigmented robe and the 
other a non-pigmented anserobe. 
The theoretical discussion of these points might be much 
Prolonged, but until further research in this direction has been 
rated such discussion is unprofitable. As regards the 
inden qs nown phenomena which are grouped together 
be said The of intramolecular respiration, a few words may 
that it von ne generally accepted view of this phenomenon is 
Position of th, ma deoxidization and self-combustion or decom- 
O, takin » protoplasmie molecule, a slight produetion of 
by the e at the expense of the combined oxygen held 
portion re i asm. A quite feasible view is, however, that a 
of loose combine at least might be held either in a condition 
occluded xn ination, as in hæmoglobin &e., or be simply 
phyll pigment charcoal or platinum-spouge. That the chloro- 
oose combinati as no power of holding oxygen in a state of 
lon is shown by the fact that the evolution of 
* 
Lehma 4 
1896, mg Neumann, Atlas und Grundriss der Bakteriologie : Wurzburg, 
LINN JOU 
^* JOU — 
RN, BOTANY, VOL. XXXIII. L 
