24 MORPHOLOGY AND TAXONOMY OF FUNGI, ETC. [Bot. Absts., Vol. VI, 



177. Monfort, W. F., and M. C. Perry. Some atypical colon-aerogenes forms isolated 

 from natural waters. [Abstract.] Absts. Bact. 4: 8. 1920. — "The purpose of sanitary bac- 

 teriology of water supplies is distinct from that of systematic bacteriology. Variations 

 from types now accepted as indicative of fecal pollution are so manifold that further study 

 of these variants prior to complete rejuvenation is essential to their correlation with known 

 pollution.— The attempt to reduce the members of the colon-aerogenes group to 4 types (non- 

 fecal and fecal aerogenes, cloacae, and fecal B. coli) is futile so far as practical application 

 in judging water supplies is concerned. — There are intermediate forms, of varying methyl- 

 red reaction, furnishing transitions from one to the other type, which may correlate with 

 their late environment." — Some of the variations are stated and experimental data on tech- 

 nique are summarized. [From author's abst. of paper read before Soc. Amer. Bact.] — 

 D. Reddick. 



178. Neill, James, and Arao Itaxo. A microscopical method for anaerobic cultivation. 

 [Abstract.] Absts. Bact. 4: 4. 1920. — An hermetic cell, similar to the Van Tieghem cell, 

 is used, oxygen being removed by use of alkaline pyrogallic acid. [From authors' abst. of 

 paper read before Soc. Amer. Bact.] — D. Reddick. 



179. Normington, Ruth. Studies in the heat resistant organisms of cold packed canned 

 peas. Michigan Agric. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bull. 47: 1-33. 1919. — Discusses the bacteria found 

 in canned peas, describing the cultural characters of nine or more species isolated and studied. 

 These are spore producers and capable of withstanding high temperatures. — E. A. Bessey. 



180. Orr, Paul F. Some observations on the biological characteristics of Bacillus botu- 

 linus and its toxins. Abstract.] Absts. Bact. 4: 10. 1920.— Many of the characteristics 

 exhibited by 16 strains of B. botulinus that have been studied differ materially from the ac- 

 cepted description of this organism. — The optimum temperature for growth of all of the strains 

 has invariably been found to be about 37°C. At this temperature an abundant growth takes 

 place within 16 hours and spore formation usually begins within 36 hours; however, the spore 

 formation varies with different strains. When grown in the ordinary dextrose media, such as 

 agar, gelatin and bouillon, B. botulinus produces acid, spores are not formed and consequently 

 the cultures soon lose their vitality. In the sugar free media, spores are readily formed and 

 the cultures have remained viable at 37°C. for a period of 2 years. — Of the 16 strains studied 

 originally 11 produced toxin. During the course of a year of cultivation one has entirely lost 

 its ability to produce toxin. Toxin is readily formed at 37°C. by all of the toxic strains, and 

 can be demonstrated after 20 hours of growth. — This toxin is destroyed at 80°C. within 2 min- 

 utes. The temperature coefficient of the destruction of the toxin by heat was found to lie 

 between 6 and 8.5 for a rise of 10°C. — [From author's abst. of paper read before Soc. Amer. 

 Bact.] — D. Reddick. 



181. Rivers, T. M. What is an influenza bacillus? [Abstract.] Absts. Bact. 4: 14. 

 1920. — "The question asked in the title can be answered in one sentence. There is only one 

 true B. influenzae, existing in name only, and that is the first one grown and described by 

 Pfeiffer, as neither he nor any one else has ever shown any of the subsequent strains to be 

 the same as the first. He did, however, draw the attention of bacteriologists to a group of 

 hemoglobinophilic bacilli, which has caused many contentions and hard feelings and about 

 which no more is known now than nearly thirty years ago." — "The Gram-negative, non- 

 smotile hemoglobinophilic bacilli can be classified biologically by reactions which admit of 

 subdivisions of the group." — [From author's abst. of paper read before Soc. Amer. Bact.] — 

 D. Reddick. 



182. Treece, E. L. A substitute for adonite in the determination of fecal and non-fecal 

 •strains of the colon-aerogenes group. [Abstract.] Absts. Bact. 4: 9. 1920. — "A peptone gel- 

 atine as follows: 12 per cent gelatine, 2 per cent peptone, 0.5 per cent meat extract, tubed 

 and sterilized as for ordinary gelatine was found to correlate the fermentation of adonite in 

 idetermining fecal and non-fecal strains of the colon-aerogenes group; positive results being 



