BY R. GREIG SMITH. 827 



of saccharose nutrient fluid*^ were infected. After having stood in 

 a cupboard for some months, these contained a number of films of a 

 tough slimy consistency that had formed on the surface and had 

 fallen to the bottom of the culture fluid. The fluid itself was some- 

 what viscous, although it could not be called ropy, and the viscosity 

 was most pronounced when the medium contained chalk. 



A portion of the agar-culture suspension was boiled with 1 % 

 sodium hydrate. The emulsion contracted to a curd, leaving a 

 clear fluid. The addition of alcohol to the fluid produced no 

 precipitation, showing that dilute alkali was powerless to extract 

 any gum carbohydrates from the growth. Another portion was 

 boiled with 1 % hydrochloric acid. The suspended matter dis- 

 tributed itself throughout the acid in floccules and did not con- 

 tract into a curd as with dilute soda. The acid filtrate after 

 neutralisation gave a partly flocculent and partly stringy precipi- 

 tate upon the addition of alcohol. The nature of the precipitate 

 showed that a gummy body had been extracted by the dilute acid, 

 and this solvent was accordingly used in the further treatment 

 of the suspension. 



The remainder of the suspended growths was diluted with 

 water, and hydrochloric acid was added to make a 1 % solution, 

 after which it was heated on the water-bath for some hours. 

 The fluid was then strained through calico and filtered. Further 

 treatment of the insoluble matter was found to be unnecessary, 

 as everything soluble in acid and precipitable b}^ alcohol had 

 been removed. The filtrate, after neutralisation, was evaporated 

 to small volume and treated with alcohol. A glutinous precipi- 

 tate was thrown out of solution. The alcohol was removed by 

 straining through calico and pressing the precipitate. Treat- 

 ment with water showed that the solid consisted of at least two 

 constituents, one soluble in water, the other insoluble. Both 

 were repeatedly precipitated by alcohol from aqueous solution 

 and suspension. Finally, both solution and suspension were 

 tested and found to be free from reducing sugars. 



* Saccharose 50, peptone 5, potassium chloride 3, sodium phosphate 2, 

 water 1000 grms. 



