io6 The Ohio Naturalist. [Vol. VII, No. 5, 



The study of the bacteriology of the drinking cup is in a way 

 closely connected with the study of the bacteriology of the 

 mouth and the body surfaces surrounding the mouth. The 

 bacteria which infest the mouth and proximate surfaces and 

 orifices we would be quite liable to find on the cup which came 

 in contact with that organ and with the surfaces of the body which 

 are in iinmediate proximity. In comparing the species of 

 bacteria found in our examinations with those reported as hav- 

 ing been isolated from the mouth, we find our assumption 

 verified in several cases. 



• The method of examination was as follows: A sterile cotton 

 swab containing a little moisture was passed over the edge and 

 interior of the drinking cup and this in turn drawn over the 

 surface of sterile agar and Loefflers' blood serum contained in 

 test tubes. The media was 1% acid to phenolphthalein. Cover 

 glasses were also smeared and stained, after drying and fixing, 

 with anilin gentian violet, Loefflers alkaline methylene blue, and 

 by Grams' method. The cultures after being grown for 24 hours 

 at 22° C. and 37° C. were diluted and plated in Petri dishes after 

 which cultures were made according to the ordinary bacteriolog- 

 ical technique. The bacteria were differentiated by means of 

 Chester's "Manual of Determinative Bacteriology" and Matz- 

 uschita's " Bacteriologische Diagnostik." The pathogenic power 

 of certain species of bacteria was tested on guinea pigs and rab- 

 bits. Frequently the cover glass preparations showed bacteria 

 which we were unable to cultivate and consequently were unable 

 to determine the species. Without doubt there were other 

 bacteria present on the cups which were not revealed by cultiva- 

 tion or on cover glass preparation. No attempt was made to 

 cultivate anaerobic bacteria except in two cases. 



Ex. No. 1. Swab was taken from a cup in connection with 

 an ice tank in the hall of one of the state charity institutions. 

 The cup was used in the main by visitors and employees. The 

 cover glass preparation and cultural experiments showed the 

 following bacteria to be present. 



1. Micrococcus citreus (Sternberg). Distributed in air 

 normally. 



2. Micrococcus pyogenes albus (Rosenbach). A pyogenic 

 bacterium. Common. The pathogenesis of this particular organism 

 was not great, guinea pigs dying only after 7 to 8 days. Widely 

 distributed over the body surfaces. 



3. Sarcina lutea (Flugge). Widely distributed in air and 

 water. 



4. Pseudomonas flourescens, var. liq. (Flugge). Widely 

 distributed in air, etc. 



• Ex. No. 2. Swab taken from same cup as No. 1. A child 

 (visitor at the hospital) had become sick and after vomiting was 



