GENERAL SYSTEMATIC BACTERIOLOGY 163 



In the following year, Rivolta (1878, p. 201) used the generic designa- 

 tion Discomyces (q.v.). The name Actinomyces bovis Harz, however, 

 was recognized by Rivolta in 1884. At this time he differentiated 

 between A. bovis and two other species which he termed Discomyces 

 equi and D. pleuriticus. 



Actinomyces was used as a generic name by several authors during the 

 next decade. Perroncito (1879, p. 35) noted that the name Actinomyces 

 should be changed because of the previous use by Meyen of Actinomyce 

 for one of the Coniomycetes. Hertwig (1886, p. 365) described an 

 Actinomyces musculorum, which was further studied by Duncker 

 (1887, p. 224). Schroeter (1886, p. 174) recognized the genus Actino- 

 myces Harz, regarding Discomyces Rivolta as a synonym. He gives 

 the following generic description : 



Faden sehr dtinn, etwa bis 0.5 mm. lang, um einen festen Kern, welcher in 

 den Faden durchzogen wird, strahlig ausgebreitet, mit unregelmassig abgehenden 

 Aesten, an den Enden in keulenformige, stark lichtbrechende Auschwellungen 

 ubergehend, welche Gliederung zeigen. 



Trevisan (1889, p. 927) recognized the fact that an organism named by 

 Cohn (1875, p. 186) Streptothrix Foersteri was closely related to the 

 Actinomyces bovis Harz. He concluded that neither Actinomyces 

 Harz, nor Streptothrdx Cohn were tenable, the former because of prior 

 use by Meyen (1. c.) and the latter by Corda (1839, p. 23). He 

 accordingly named the genus Nocardia, with Nocardia Actinomyces 

 Trevisan as one of the five species. Sauvageau and Radais (1892, p. 

 242) suggested as a result of comparing the genus Streptothrix of Cohn 

 with other known Hyphomycetes, that this genus should be merged with 

 the Oospora of Wallroth (1837, p. 182). Several authors have used 

 this generic name. Lindau (1910, p. 720) as recently as 1910 reaches 

 the conclusion that this form is most closely related to Oospora. 



The name Actinomyces has been used as a generic designation by 

 manj^ authors. Ludwig (1892, p. 3) defined the genus as having 

 branched filaments, the branches swollen at the tips. Terni (1894, p. 

 79) noted the previous use by Corda of Streptothrix and accepted 

 Actinomyces. Gasperini (1895, p. 82) concluded that it is valid and 

 should replace Streptothrix Cohn, Discomyces and Pleurimices Rivolta, 

 Bacillus Nocard, Micromyces Griiber and Oospora Sauvageau and 

 Radais. Lachner-Sandoval (1898) made a careful stud}- of the nomen- 

 clature of the genus and concluded the right generic designation to be 

 Actinomyces. Levy (1899, p. 1) confiraied his conclusions. Berestnew 

 (1899, p. 390) concluded that on botanical grounds the name is tenable, 



