ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 757 



Schizophyta. 

 Schizomycetes. 



Scientific Cheese-making 1 .* — In the concluding instalment of his 

 review of this subject, P. Maze gives a classification of the different 

 kinds of cheese, and prescribes the applications suitable for each class 

 of the scientific principles previously discussed. Then follow general 

 conclusions, in which emphasis is given to the importance of selecting 

 suitable lactic ferments, maintaining a correct reaction and avoiding 

 contaminations. The manufacture of cheese is for the most part 

 carried out upon traditional and empirical lines. It is time that such 

 methods should give place to more scientific procedures. 



Rennet-forming Cocci in Cheese. f — C. Gorini assigns to these 

 bacteria an important role in the maturation of certain varieties of 

 cheese. The diagnosis of these forms should depend upon their action 

 on milk, and it is important to verify their power to attack casein in an 

 acid medium. The action upon gelatin serves to divide this group 

 into two classes, namely, Micrococcus casei acido-proteolyticus I, which 

 liquefies, and M. casei acido-proteolyticus I, which does not liquefy 

 gelatin. 



Bacterial Flora of Rachitic Stools. J — R. Greig-Smith has made 

 bacteriological examinations of fasces from a number of rickety children. 

 Nineteen varieties allied to, or identical with B.coli communis were isolated, 

 but these forms differed in no way from those found in the stools of 

 healthy children. Streptococci, principally of the types 8. salivarias 

 and S. ackli lactici were, however, obtained more frequently from rachitic 

 than from normal persons. These forms can survive and multiply in 

 more strongly acid fluids than can the intestinal bacilli, and have been 

 found normally to predominate in higher portions of the alimentary 

 tract. The author considers that the greater frequency of their occur- 

 rence in the fasces of rickety children may be associated with an acid 

 condition of the contents of the large intestine. 



Slime Bacteria on Sponges.§ — The slime that forms upon house- 

 hold sponges is usually attributed to accumulation of soap, epithelial 

 debris, and other materials, but R. Greig-Smith, upon examining stained 

 films, found that it was crowded with bacteria. Cultivation yielded a 

 great variety of organisms, such as Radiobacter, Sarcinae, and Rhizobia. 

 Two slime-bacteria of the latter class were further investigated. Both 

 types produced luxuriant slimes when grown upon media containing 

 saccharose, levulose, or certain other sugars, but did not respond to 

 lactose or dextrin. With Bacillus I., large or small oval shapes pre- 

 dominated, and upon certain media, types resembling B. alatus were 

 also common. Bacillus II. — Rhizobium limosospongise sp.n. — is a closely 

 allied organism, remarkable for its polymorphism. In addition to the 



* Ann. Inst. Pasteur, xxiv. (1910) pp. 543-62. 



t Atti Reale Accad. Lincei, xix. (1910) pp. 150-8. 



X Proc. Linn. Soc.N.S.W., xxxv. (1910) pp. 36-50. 



§ Tom. sit., pp. 29-35. 



