PIGMENTS. 65 



(3) How are they acted on by acids, alkalies, and other reagents? 



(4) Of what use are they to the organism ? Are they oxidation-products ? 

 Examine spectroscopically, if possible. 



On the addition of acids or alkalies, a bacterial pigment may remain unchanged, 

 may be changed into some different color, may be destroyed, or may be converted 

 into some colorless compound which will regain its original color on changing back 

 the reaction. The yellow pigment of several species of Bacterium (Pseudomonas) 

 remains unchanged in the presence of acids and alkalies. The blood-red color of 

 Bacillus prodigiosus becomes carmine in the presence of certain acids and yellowish- 

 brown in the presence of certain alkalies. The blue color of Bacterium syncyaneitm 

 is said to be produced only in acid milk. The beautiful green fluorescence of Bac- 

 terium pericarditidis (Bacillus pyocyaneus pericarditidis), and probably of all this 

 group of bacteria, is produced only in alkaline media. According to Jordan two 

 pigments are normally produced by many green-fluorescent organisms. The blue 

 pigment pyocyanin is visible by gaslight and is soluble in chloroform. The green- 

 fluorescent pigment is insoluble in chloroform and yellowish by gaslight. By 

 this latter test the two can be distinguished when mixed. Soluble phosphates and 

 sulphates are necessary for the production of green fluorescence. The ability to 

 produce pyocyanin is easily lost. Its production in the culture-medium, unlike that 

 of the fluorescine, is not dependent on the presence of phosphates or sulfates. 

 Pyocyanin turns red with acids, fluorescine becomes colorless ; both return to their 

 original color on adding alkali sufficient to change the reaction. " Asparagin, 

 ammonium succinate, ammonium lactate, and ammonium citrate all proved suitable 

 for the development of the fluorescent pigment." The yellow and black pigments 

 are the result of oxidations. (See papers by Gessard, Thumm, and Jordan, Bibliog., 

 XXIII). 



The pigments of bacteria range from one end of the spectrum to the other. 

 Thus we have various shades of black, brown, violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, 

 orange, and red. Many bacteria produce no pigment, /. e., are white when seen iu 

 mass. Others produce several distinct pigments. Many of the plant parasites are 

 yellow, e. g., Bacterium campestrc, Bad. phaseoli, Bact. hyacinthi, Bad. Steivarti, 

 Bact. juglandis. Some of these yellow organisms stain the host-plant and certain 

 nutrient substrata a deep brown. Other plant parasites are white but also stain the 

 host and certain substrata brown, e.g, Bacterium solanacearum, Bacillus carotovorus, 

 B. aroidece. Others are pure white and are apparently destitute of any pigment- 

 producing powers, e.g., Bacillus amvlovorus, B. tracheiphilus. Very many bacteria 

 when grown on cooked potato produce a gray stain in this substratum, especially in 

 that part freely exposed to the air, /. e., out of the water. 



Some other color changes in the host should be mentioned. Various brown 

 and red stains visible in certain plants when attacked by bacteria are not attributable 

 directly to the presence of the microorganisms in the tissues. These are oxidation 

 phenomena likely to occur when the plants are wounded or destroyed by any agent 

 whatsoever. A few illustrations will make my meaning clear. When the limbs of 

 pear trees are destroyed by blight the foliage becomes black, but this blackening 



