386 GENERAL SYSTEMATIC BACTERIOLOGY 



of the tubercle bacillus as opposed to the other then known bacteria, in a work 

 "Regarding the Phagocytic R61e of the Tubercular Giant Cell," has said: "If 

 one considers that in the perfected stage the tubercle bacteria have grown into 

 (although short) threads, and also differ from other analogous forms (except the 

 lepra bacteria) in the possession of a very dense envelope, then perhaps it will 

 be easier to accept the designation Sclerothrix for the genus, and Sclerothrix 

 Kochii for the species of the tubercle bacterium." We should have immediately 

 accepted these names if we had known of them, but believe that according to 

 the rules of botanical nomenclature our names should now stand, since Metschni- 

 koff only made a conditional proposal, did not accurately define his new genus, 

 and never made any use of the new name himself, while we have ourselves already 

 established a name. 



Neither Lehmann and Neumann or Metschinkoff seem to know of 

 the prior use of Schlerothrix (q.v.) as an algal genus by Klitzing (1849, 

 p. 37). 



Chester (1898) redefined Mycobacterium as follows: 



Cells in their ordinary form short cylindrical rods, often bent and irregularly 

 swollen, clavate or cuneate. At times Y shaped forms or longer filaments with 

 true branchings. May produce short coccoid elements, perhaps gonidia. 



The genus with this definition includes the Corynehacterium of Leh- 

 mann and Neumann. 



The genus is listed as a synonym of Bacterium by Migula, (1900, 

 p. 492). 



Chester (1901, p. 349) again used this genus to include the acid fast 

 and the diphtheroid bacteria. The genus is also used by A. J. Smith 

 (1902, p. 270) and by Kendall (1902). 



The genus Mycobacterium was also recognized by Miehe (1908, p. 131) 

 who emended the description somewhat. He included in it those 

 forms with rod-shaped cells, usually somewhat bent, with variable 

 width, and length. After division the cells usually bend to one side, 

 and grow side by side, forming a characteristic very firm colony which 

 is not easily broken to pieces, and is easily separated from the medium, 

 usually forming a membrane on liquid media. Budded branching 

 occasional. Usually acid fast, non-motile, slow growth, no lique- 

 faction of gelatin. 



Vuillemin (1913, p. 527) rejects the name as a vaUd genus because 

 of the priority of both Sclerothrix and Coccothrix It has already 

 been noted that the former name is invalid, but it is possible that if 

 the acid fast bacteria are to be recognized as a separate genus the 

 generic designation Coccothrix should be used, which w^ould make 

 Mycobacterium an invalid synonym. 



