PREFACE 



The present volume is the first of a series of monographs in the 

 general field of systematic bacteriology. The data presented have 

 been collected, compiled and annotated largely in connection with 

 coursesoflectures in systematic bacteriology given to graduate students 

 dents in bacteriology at the Iowa State College during the past fif- 

 teen years. It is an attempt to bring together material which may 

 prove of value to those who are desirous of knowing the probable 

 nomenclatural status of the various names which have been used in 

 bacterial terminolog3^ 



If science is to be defined as a system of classified knowledge, the 

 subject of bacteriology is laboring under a serious handicap in lack- 

 ing, probably more than any other branch of science, the advantages 

 conferred by a satisfactory system of terminology or of nomenclature. 

 It would seem that systematic bacteriology is deserving of even more 

 recognition at the hands of teachers and investigators than has been 

 accorded to it in the past. 



Systematic bacteriology has two principal aims or functions which 

 are of importance to the teacher and to the investigator. The first 

 of these aims has to do with the presentation in graphic form of our 

 present conception of the phylogeny and of the relationships of various 

 groups of bacteria. The second is to give a greater degree of stability 

 to the names used for particular groups of organisms and to prevent 

 unnecessary nomenclatural confusion in hterature. These aims are 

 thoroughly scientific, their accompHshment wiU prove useful, we must 

 therefore accord them careful consideration if our nomenclature is to 

 be stabiHzed. 



It is somewhat difficult to tabulate satisfactorily all of the factors 

 instrumental in bringing about the present state of confusion and un- 

 certainty in bacterial terminolog>". That there is such confusion is, 

 of course, a self-evident fact. It has been rare in texts or articles 

 (until comparatively recently) to find a consistent use made of generic 

 names, and systems of classification taught in elementary courses in 

 bacteriology have rarely been made use of later. In some quarters 

 there are at the present time certain ill-advised attempts being made 



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