MICROBIOLOGY AND INDUSTRY 



fully engage the interest of those who hold positions in the universities' 

 botany schools, and several amongst these botanists have made mer- 

 itorious contributions to microbiological science. Nevertheless, if we 

 survey the extent of the plant kingdom, and recognise how relatively 

 modest a place the microbes occupy therein, we realize that the pro- 

 fessor of botany can and should devote no more than a small fraction 

 of his time and efforts to bacteriology. But the present status of bac- 

 teriological science imperatively calls for a large number of investig- 

 ators who can dedicate their entire life to studies in this field. 



I shall mention but a single example in support of this claim. It is 

 well known that even to-day there exists an exasperating confusion in 

 the area of the systematics of the Schizomycetes. In this respect the 

 students of bacteriology have even been compared to insulars who, 

 each one sitting tight on his own little island, are wont to hurl minor 

 verities at each other across oceans of misunderstanding. Surely this 

 picture is hardly painted too darkly ! 



In consequence of the minute dimensions of the bacteria, their 

 morphological characteristics cannot have the same significance in 

 bacterial systematics as they do in the taxonomy of the higher plants. 

 Hence physiological and ecological properties must occupy a far more 

 prominent place in bacterial taxonomy, and, together with morpho- 

 logical criteria, they must be wielded into an encompassing and har- 

 monious whole. Thus it follows that an intensive investigation of the 

 multifarious bacteria, extended in many different directions, is re- 

 quired to escape from the present impasse. 



Meanwhile, the Society of American Bacteriologists has taken the 

 first steps in the right direction [Winslow et al. 1920]. It has appointed 

 a committee on the classification of bacteria which has evolved a 

 framework that may be called successful in many respects, and that 

 consequently deserves the whole-hearted attention of bacteriologists 

 from all over the world. It would be most desirable if some degree of 

 international agreement could soon be reached concerning this matter. 



Whereas Rahn, too, calls attention to the example of the U.S.A. as 

 one of the few countries where bacteriology is studied for its own sake, 

 and exhorts his compatriots to follow this lead, he has at the same 

 time made a statement in which we may rejoice. I quote : 'Die Profes- 

 sur Beijerinck's in Delft (Holland) entspricht ebenfalls den Bediirf- 

 nissen der theoretischen Bakteriologie.' And also outside Germany 



