29 



THE SLIME OF THE HOUSEHOLD BATH-SPONGE. 



By R. Greig Smith, D.Sc, Macleay Bacteriologist to the 



Society. 



Rhizohium limososjynngue, n.sp. 



The sliaiing of household-sponges is a matter of common 

 observation, and it appears to be the general idea that it is 

 caused, in some way, by the soap used with the sponge. The 

 explanation thus given is probably traceable to the difficulty 

 experienced by the housekeeper in finding a more suitable 

 explanation. Doubtless the formation of a lime-soap scum on 

 water in basins and baths, induced the idea that a deposition of 

 a similar substance occurs in the pores of the sponge. Probably 

 the best means for removing the slime, without injuring the 

 substance of the sponge too much, is to immerse it in hot, sofi 

 water, as this causes the slime to swell. The sponge is then 

 squeezed in a cloth or towel, when the swollen slime oozes through 

 the cloth. A repetition of this procedure will probably remove all 

 the slime. 



If one prepares and examines a stained film of the slime, one 

 sees it is crowded with long, more or less bent, rod-like forms; 

 and that the rods ai-e swollen irregularly, very often with partially 

 detached ends, characteristic of the Rhizobmm-ty^e of micro- 

 organism. 



When the slime was smeared upon plates of saccharose-bean- 

 agar, the preparation of which has already been described,* a 

 number of colonies of slime-forming bacteria developed in the 

 course of a few days. The great majority of them were of the 

 Rhizobiurii-ty\)Q, and the slimes varied in consistency. The 



* These Proceedings, 1906, p. 261 



