GENERAL SYSTEMATIC BACTERIOLOGY 275 



For the Gram-negative, non-acid-forming or, at most, very slightly acid-form- 

 ing cocci (among which must probably be reckoned the gonococci and the menin- 

 gococci too, as well as Gram-negative streptococci, if such exist) we might simply 

 use the generic name Coccus, or, if they should turn out to have terminal flagella, 

 Coccomonas. 



Coccos. A name proposed by Billroth (1874, p. 4) for a growth 

 form of his pleomorphic Coccobacteria septica which is characterized by 

 the production of spherical cells. In the form "coccus" it has been 

 commonly accepted as a morphological term. It is not a generic 

 designation in any strict sense. It is rejected by Erwin F. Smith 

 (1905, p. 174). 



Coccothrichaceen. An "Abteilung" created by Lutz (1886, p. 22) 

 to include his genus Coccothrix. It has apparently not been used by 

 other authors. 



Coccothrix. A generic name proposed by Lutz (1886, p. 22) for 

 the organisms causing leprosy and tuberculosis. The diagnosis given 

 by Lutz is as follows: 



Kleine, runde, kokken-ahnliche Zellen, die sich ohne Mitbeteiligung der Zell- 

 membran nur in einer Richtung teilen und daher einzeln oder in Reihen getroffen 

 werden. Dieselben sind von den gedehnten, allmahlich gallertig verquellenden, 

 Zellhauten iiberzogen; zwischen den Durchmesser an Grosse iibertreffen. Durch 

 Farbung der innersten Schichten der membranos gallertigen Hiille enstehen 

 Bilder, welche wie auf Faden angereihte Perlen oder wie Stabchen aussehen. 

 Es linden sich ausserdem grossere zum Teil ovale und doppelt konturierte Zellen, 

 teils frei, teils am Ende der Zell reihen. In dieses Genus ist vorderhand mit 

 Sicherheit der Lepra- und Tuberkelpilz einzurichen. 



It is true that Lutz misinterpreted some of his observations. To 

 be accurate, his genus requires emendation in order to include the 

 organisms of tuberculosis and leprosy. However, if the acid fast 

 bacteria of which these are types are to be given generic recognition, 

 Coccothrix would appear to be vahd, with the t3'pe species either Coc- 

 cothrix tuberculosis Lutz or Coccothrix leprae Lutz. 



The name is rejected by Erwin F. Smith (1905, p. 174). 



Vuillemin (1913, p. 527) notes this name, but believes that it re- 

 sembles Coccotrichum WaUroth (1833, p. 314) too closely. It would 

 seem that these names are sufficiently unlike so that they would not 

 be confused, and that both would be vahd under a strict interpretation 

 of the botanical code. 



Synon^nns of Coccothrix are Sclerothrix ]\Ietschinikoff and Mj;co- 

 bacterium Lehman n and Neumaim. By many authors (as De Toni 

 and Trevisan 1889, p. 943) it is regarded as a synonym of Bacillus. 



