276 GENERAL SYSTEMATIC BACTERIOLOGY 



Coccus. This name with the spelling Coccos (q.v.) was first used 

 by Billroth (1874, p. 6) to designate the growth form of his Coccobac- 

 teria septica in which the cells assumed a spherical form. It was not 

 used in a generic sense, however. 



As a genus name Coccus has been accepted by several writers, but 

 in most cases examined, they have been used in a trinomial combination 

 and without any adequate generic diagnosis. Among such trinomial 

 names may be mentioned Coccus cumulus minor Black (1886) (probably 

 a Sarcina according to Miller 1892, p. 78), Coccus salivarius septicus 

 Biondi (1887, p. 217) and Coccus alhus non-liquefaciens Fick (1887). 



Apparently the first use of Coccus in a binomial was by Fick (1887) 

 for a Coccus candicans from the conjunctival sack, De Toni and 

 Trevisan (1889, p. 1078) rename this organism Micrococcus Fickii 

 Trevisan. 



It has also been used by Nissen (1889, p. 487) for a Coccus aquatilis. 



Billet (1890, p. 24) accepts Coccus as a generic name with the state- 

 ment "Formes arrondies. Coccus, element isole." With the spelling 

 Kokkus this term has also been used by Eisenberg (1886) and other 

 German writers. It is given as a synonym of Micrococcus by De Toni 

 and Trevisan (1889, p. 1076). Baumgarten (1890, p. 127) says "1 

 Gatt. Kokken, Bacterienarten imifassend, welche nur kugeliege Vege- 

 tations formen bilden." The name is rejected by Erwin F. Smith 

 (1905). 



Orla-Jensen (1921, p. 269) states: 



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 fiagella, 

 Coccomonas. 



The status of Coccus as a generic name is uncertain. Possibly the 

 type Coccus candicans Fick cannot be identified. 



Cohnia. A vahd name given by Kunth (1850) to a genus of the 

 family Liliaceae. The same name was given by Reichenbach, (1852) 

 to a genus in the family Orchidaceae, now a synonym of Cohniella 

 Pfitz. 



This name was later proposed by Winter (1880, p. 48) to include 

 the bacteria which had been assigned to the algal genus Clathrocystis 

 Henfry. In this genus the cells are spherical, embedded in gelatin in 

 a simple peripheral layer, forming hollow, round or irregular bladders 

 or vesicles, which finally become reticulate. The diagnosis given 

 follows: 



