98 SUMMARY OF CUEBENT EEREAECHES EELATING TO 



with E. F. Smith's Bacillus Phaseoli. It is composed of motile rods, 

 somewhat rounded at the ends, usually distinct, less often in chains of 

 3 or 4, about 1-2-1-5 /* by 0-3-0-4 /x. 



Butyric Acid Ferments. * — Further investigations by Herren A. 

 Schattenfroh and R. Grassberger indicate that the butyric acid fermen- 

 tation of carbohydrates is excited by two species of bacteria which are 

 so closely allied that they may be considered as belonging to the same 

 genus. The two species are designated Granulobacillus saccharobutyricus 

 immobilis liquefaciens, and Granulobacillus saccharobutyricus mobilis non- 

 liquefaciens, terms which fairly represent their prominent characteristics. 

 The liquefying species has been described under various names by at 

 least five other observers, while the non-liquefying species was isolated by 

 the authors. Both organisms produce lactic acid, as well as butyric acid, 

 carbonic acid, and hydrogen, from sugar and starch ; indeed, the lique- 

 fying species formed considerably more lactic than butyric acid. The 

 quantity of volatile and non-volatile acids formed during the decompo- 

 sition of one and the same carbohydrate varied from time to time, but no 

 satisfactory explanation of the vicissitudes is forthcoming. No note- 

 worthy difference was discovered in the output of acid by anaerobic 

 cultivation. Both species coagulated milk, but did not peptonise it. The 

 liquefying species stain by Gram's method, and the non-liquefying species 

 was imperfectly, but not altogether, decolorised by the same method. 



Thermophilous Bacteria. j — Dr. A. Macfadyen and Dr. F. R. Blaxall 

 describe fourteen species of thermophilous bacteria derived chiefly from 

 the soil, though some originated from dejecta, ensilage, sea-water, and 

 Thames mud. On the ordinary culture media all grew well at from 

 55° to 65° C. All were sporing forms of bacilli. The growth in most 

 instances was remarkably rapid, and presented instructive appearances, 

 especially on salt-potato-agar. The majority of the bacilli showed a 

 tendency to grow in long chains, and though branching forms appeared, 

 true dichotomy was not observed. Two organisms (Bac. x. and xiv.) 

 were motile when young. Some developed pigment, the majority 

 curdled milk, and seven liquefied gelatin. The indol reaction was 

 present in most cases. The optimum temperature for the group was 

 55° or thereabouts. While pure cultures failed to grow under anaerobic 

 conditions, evidence was obtained of the anaerobic existence of certain 

 thermophilous forms at high temperatures. The majority of the organ- 

 isms reduced nitrate ; some produced acid, others alkali. Proteid-media 

 (gelatin, serum, meat, blood-albumen, and eggs) were decomposed. Eight 

 species inverted cane-sugar, and starch was diastased by four. Experi- 

 ments with cellulose showed that this substance was digested by ther- 

 mophilous bacteria, the rate of fermentation and disintegration varying 

 from 7 to 21 days as a rule. These results were brought about by 

 mixed cultures, and their action appeared to be of a symbiotic nature. 



Tables are given with the appearances on the different culture 

 media, and illustrating the range of temperature. 



Thermophilous Microbes of Hot Springs.} — Mdlle. Tsiklinsky de- 

 scribes six species of microbes isolated from three hot springs with tem- 



* Centralbl. Bakt. u. Par., 2 te Abt., v. (1899) pp. 697-702. 



t Trans. Jenner (late British) Inst. Prevent. Med., 1899, ser ii. pp. 162-86 (3 pis.).. 



\ Ann. Inst. Pasteur, xiii. (1899) pp. 788-95 (9 figs.). 



