1 2 eel 
aaa 
489 
this action also accords with the agglutination phenomena and the absorbability 
of the agglutines. The following table gives his conclusions: 
Group 1: Ferments dextrose only (Shiga, Kruse, Flexner’s New Haven bacillus). 
Group 2: Ferments dextrose and mannite (bacillus Y, Ferran, Seal Harbor 
bacillus). 
Group 3: Ferments dextrose, mannite, and saecharose (Flexner-Strong Manila 
bacillus). 4 
Group 4: Ferments dextrose, mannite, saccharose, maltose, and dextrin (Harris, 
Gay, Baltimore and Wollstein’s bacillus). 
The author, in conjunction with Ohno, has been working in Japan 
during the past year on the types of the dysentery bacillus. As many 
stems of this organism as it was possible to procure were sent from 
various regions and these were accurately investigated. At first we 
studied the power these organisms possessed of causing fermentation in 
mannite and other carbohydrates (dextrose, maltose, saccharose, dextrin, 
and lactose), following the methods laid down by Hiss, but, for the pur- 
pose of classification, we also took cognizance of four other properties 
i. @., (a) indol reaction, (b) agglutination, (¢) bacteriolysis, and (d) pre- 
ventive action of the immune sera. The dysentery bacilli could be divided 
into three groups, if the indol reaction is to be taken as a criterion, as 
follows: 
Group 1: Nonindol forming (Type 1). 
Group 2: Forming indol with difficulty (Type IT). 
Group 3: Forming indol with ease (Types IIT, IV, and V). — 
The third of the above groups forms indol with the greatest readiness 
in a 1 per cent aqueous peptone solution; the reaction appears promptly 
and very decidedly. The second does not form indol in this solution 
during one to two weeks, but gives a weak and inconstant reaction after 
three ; however, in a 2 per cent culture a distinct reaction can be observed 
after the expiration of one week. The first does not form indol under 
any circumstances. 
The fermentative actions of these dysentery bacilli on mannite and 
other carbohydrates are very complicated and somewhat variable. To 
judge from these phenomena, Ohno was able to distinguish sixteen 
varieties, among which were six which did not ferment mannite (so- 
called non-acid bacilli) and ten which did (so-called acid bacilli). (See 
Table II.) 
The fermentation of dextrose and mannite is constant, but that of 
maltose, saccharose, dextrin, and lactose varies considerably both qualita- 
tively and quantitatively, and so great is this variation that it seems to 
me impossible to give a correct classification based upon. this property. 
Owing to this contingency, five groups,.the fermentative properties of 
which could be distinguished with some certainty, were selected from the 
numerous subvarieties. (See Table IIT.) The first four groups in this 
classification accord entirely with those of Hiss, but in addition to these 
a fifth, which has not been differentiated by Hiss and other observers, has 
