BY R. GRKIG SMITH. 619 



killed when heated to 100° C. This fact would indicate the 

 presence of spores, but the author apparently never observed 

 spore formation. The organism also inverts saccharose, forming 

 a quantity of alcohol but no lactic acid. According to Lafar"* 

 the alcohol is amyl alcohol. From but a few tests, Glaser con- 

 sidered the gum to be probably identical with Scheibler's dextran 

 or beet gum. 



Ritsertf separated from a slimy digitalis infusion an organism, 

 Bad. gummosuYYi, which formed gum in saccharose solutions con- 

 taining nutrient salts such as potassium acetate and ammonium 

 phosphate. Similar solutions of grape sugar or of milk sugar did 

 not produce gum after infection. In the saccharose cultures 

 nearly half of the sugar was converted into gum, which was esti- 

 mated by precipitation with alcohol and weighing. Besides the 

 gum, which he named gummose, an acid and a dextro-rotatory 

 body capable of reducing Fehling's solution were formed. The 

 organism was an anthrax-like rod which formed threads, chains 

 of rods, streptococcus, diplococcus or coccoid forms according to 

 the medium in which it was growing. It formed endogenous oval 

 spores and the rods were not stained when treated by the Gram 

 method. The growth on agar was lobular and glistening white; 

 after a few days it showed two zones — the inner wrinkled, raised, 

 dry and white; the outer glistening and bluish-white. In boui- 

 llon the rod was feebly motile. Alkaline gelatine was liquefied. 

 Happi also separated fcom digitalis infusion a bacillus, Bac. 

 gumynosus, capable of producing a gummy fermentation in 

 vegetable infusions. It appeared as a large thick rod with 

 rounded corners, measuring 0-6-2 : 5-7"5 fi. It was weakly motile; 

 flagella and spores were observed. The colonies on gelatine were 

 at first circular, then processes were sent out into the medium 

 which quickly liquefied. In stab culture the liquefaction of the 

 gelatine was funicular. On agar, the stroke became a moist 

 glistening and characteristically lobular (? amoeboid) growth. On 



* Lafar, Technical Mycology, 

 t Ritsert, Cent. f. Bakt. Ite Abt., xi. 730, Ref. 

 Z Happ, Cent. f. Bakt., Ite Abt., xiy., 175, Ref. 



