GENERAL SYSTEMATIC BACTERIOLOGY 279 



the vibrioD septique of Pasteur, or to the first species Comilia alvei 

 (Cheshire and Cheyne) Trevisan. 



Altogether eighteen species are listed. The generic name is rejected 

 by E. F. Smith (1905, p. 174) and by Vuillemin (1913, p. 521). 



Corynebacterium. A genus of bacteria founded upon the diphtheria 

 bacillus by Lehmann and Neumann (1896, p. 350) with the following 

 description: 



Kulturen, durchaus den Charakter echter Bakterienkulturen tragend, weich, 

 den Niihrboden flach und locker aufiiegend. Der Organismus farbt sich mit den 

 gewohlichen Bakterienfarbemitteln gut. Mikroskopisch; Stiibchen, die an den 

 Enden hiiufig keulig angeschwoUen sind, aus verschieden fiirbbaren Scheiben 

 aufgebaut erscheinen und in manchen Kulturen durchweg eine unzweifelhafte 

 echte dichotome Verzweigung zeigen. 



The genus is accepted by Chester (1897, p. 63). It was rejected by 

 Erwin F. Smith (1905, p. 174). This is suggested as a Genus ccm- 

 servandum by Vuillemin (1913, p. 527) and placed among the Microsi- 

 phones. 



Winslow et al. (Committee Soc. Am. Bact., 1917, p. 555 and 1920, 

 p. 199) include this as the second genus of the family Mycobacteriaceae 

 with the description: 



Slender, often slightly curved, rods with tendency to club formation, branch- 

 ing cells occasionally seen in old cultures. Barred irregular staining. Not acid- 

 fast. Gram-positive. Non-motile. Aerobic. No endospores. Some patho- 

 genic species produce a powerful exotoxin. Characteristic snapping motion is 

 exhibited when cells divide. 



The t}-pe species is Corynebacterium diphtheriae (Loeffler) Lehmann and 

 Neumann. 



Buchanan (1918, p. 55) includes this as the tenth genus of the family 

 Bacteriaceae. He gives the following description: 



Rods which stain interruptedly (striped) with weak staining solutions. Not 

 acid-fast. Clubbed, wedge-shaped and pointed rods frequent. Gram-positive. 

 Non-motile. No spores. Aerobic. 



The type of the genus is Corynebacterium diphtheriae Lehmann and 

 Neumann. 



Bergey et al. (1923, p. 380) recognize this as the second genus of the 

 family Mycobacteriaceae, and use the diagnosis proposed by Winslow. 



It probably may be regarded as a valid generic name if the diphtheria 

 bacillus and related forms are to be accorded generic recognition. 



