15 Selman a. Waksman 



laboratory, where he was supplied with the necessary glassware and chemicals. We 

 also helped to equip him with all the other materials required for the bacteriological 

 phase of the expedition and discussed various aspects of the problem and the methods 

 of approach. It was decided to limit the field expedition to the collection of samples 

 and to carry out the studies themselves in our laboratory. Upon his return from the 

 expedition. Dr. Bavendamm began to examine bacteriologically the samples of sea- 

 water and sea bottom material. 



Upon studying the data, I was struck by the frequent occurrence of a certain kind 

 of bacterium which brought about rapid liquefaction of the agar in the medium. 

 Each colony of this bacterium was surrounded by a clear, saucer-like circle of the 

 liquefied agar. Because of my interest in organic matter disintegration, including such 

 compounds as hemicelluloses and polyuronides, of which agar was a type, I suggested 

 to Bavendamm that we both undertake a detailed study of this bacterium and its mode 

 of action upon the agar. He agreed, and the remaining months of his stay in my 

 laboratory were devoted to this investigation. Our results were incorporated in a joint 

 paper, which was submitted to the Journal of Bacteriology, and Bavendamm himself 

 published a paper on the question of calcium precipitation. 



It was just about this time that the Oceanographic Institution was being organized. 

 The director, Dr. Henry Bigelow, was approached by Dr. Field, who was requesting 

 support for another expedition to the Bahamas. When asked about the accomplish- 

 ments of the first expedition. Dr. Field cited the above two papers. When Dr. 

 Conklin's opinion was asked about this matter, he suggested that I be consulted. 

 Hence the telephone call to which I have referred. 



There was another reason for consulting me on this matter. Since any comprehen- 

 sive survey of the field of marine bacteriology would involve an understanding not 

 only of bacteriological processes but of complex bacterial or even microbial popula- 

 tions, a prior knowledge of other complex populations would be helpful. Inasmuch 

 as my own field of study, that of soil microbiology, involved populations and 

 relationships, there was a parallelism between the two. This could be contrasted to 

 medical and industrial microbiology, where single cultures of organisms are concerned. 

 Further, the cycles of life in both the soil and the sea are similar, both as regards the 

 activities of various specific groups of micro-organisms, such as nitrifying, denitrifying, 

 and cellulose-decomposing types, and the bacterial population of the natural substrate 

 as a whole. 



We spent several hours that beautiful spring afternoon in Princeton, in 1931, 

 discussing various problems bearing upon marine bacteriology. All three of us reached 

 the conclusion that neither oceanography nor marine bacteriology would gain much 

 from another expedition to the Bahamas. However, we all felt strongly that a definite 

 place on the research program of the Oceanographic Institution should be given to 

 bacteriological investigators. Dr. Bigelow then suggested that I present a tentative 

 plan for such a program. Within a few weeks I submitted a plan based on the idea 

 that one or two investigators interested in complex microbiological activities be 

 invited to spend two or more months every summer at the Oceanographic Institution. 

 A laboratory was to be set aside for this purpose, and several assistants assigned to the 

 project. Further, the senior investigator would continue during the rest of the year 

 to work on one of the problems in his own laboratory, assisted by one or more 

 graduate students provided by the Oceanographic Institution. 



