686 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Schizophyta. 

 Schizomycetes. 



Bacillus Cellulosse Desagregans sp. n.* — From the intestinal con- 

 tents of fowls A. Distaso lias isolated an organism which possesses the 

 power of breaking up cellulose. For the purpose of his experiments 

 the author made use of Berzelius' paper. A short straight bacillus, with 

 Bquare ends, forming oval subterminal spores, this organism is with 

 difficulty stained by Gram's method, and does not resist prolonged de- 

 colorizing. It is a facultative anaerobe, incapable of growth at 22°('. % 

 but growing well in glucose-agar at :!7° C, not producing gas. It 

 attacks glucose freely, and is without action on maltose, lactose, or 

 saccharose. It changes starch rapidly into sugar. It decomposes the 

 cellulose in filter-paper, potato, salads, and peas, forming sugar. 



Spirophyllum ferrugineum.t — In this paper D. Ellis replies to the 

 criticisms made by Molisch upon the authenticity of this species. This 

 new species of iron-bacterium was first described in a paperj com- 

 municated to the Royal Society of Edinburgh. In his book upon the 

 iron-bacteria Molisch expresses the view that this organism is identical 

 with Gallionella ferruginea. In the present paper D. Ellis emphasizes 

 the points of distinction between the two species. Spirophyllum appears 

 as a spiral band, Gallionella has the form of a thread twisted spirally 

 round itself. The former has been watched through the complete 

 course of its life-history, and no evidence of transition between this and 

 Gallionella has been observed. In its young stages Spirophyllum is 

 motile ; no motile phase has been observed in Gallionella. The author 

 further defends his observations, which also were attacked by Molisch, 

 that conidia-formation takes place in Spirophyllum, Gallionella, and 

 Leptolhrix. The paper is illustrated by microphotographs. 



Pigment of Azotobacter Chroococcum.§ — W. L. Omeliansky and 

 O. P. Ssewerowa, after a review of the literature upon this subject, give 

 an account of their own observations. Various strains of this organism 

 isolated from the soil show differences in their powers of producing 

 pigment. Between good pigment-producers and strains which do not 

 show any pigment there are intermediate strains. The age of the 

 culture has some influence upon this, an old brown culture, when 

 replanted, giving rise to a growth which rapidly produces pigment. 

 Free access of air is necessary, and the optimum temperature is 30° 0. 

 The most suitable medium for stimulating pigment-formation is chalk- 

 dextrin-agar containing 2-3 p.c. of dextrin. The pigment is insoluble 

 in most reagents, but dissolves in alkalis, probably undergoing a 

 chemical change. It is possible that this brown pigment may be a 

 factor in determining the prevalent brown colour of the soil. 



Human and Bovine Tubercle. || — A. Eber records experiments which 

 give additional support to the hypothesis that tubercle bacilli of the 



* C.R. Sue. Biol. Paris, lxx. (1911) pp. 995-6. 



t Proc. lluy. Soc. Edinburgh, xxxi. (1911) pp. 499-504. 



% Proc. Hoy. Soc. Edinburgh, xxvii. 1 (1907). 



§ Centra 11.1. Jiakt., 2'e Abt., xxix. (1911) pp. 643-50. 



i| Centralbl. Bakt., 1«- Abt. Orig., lix. (1911) pp. 193-364. 



