388 GENERAL SYSTEMATIC BACTERIOLOGY 



Desmazieres (1826, p. 59) named the layer which develops on beer, 

 etc. Mycoderma cerevisiae, regarding the organisms, however as animal- 

 cula monadina According to Lafar he did not connect the organisms 

 with the chemical changes taking place in the solution. 



Ktitzing (1837, p. 386) discusses the use by Desmazieres of Myco- 

 derma, and later (1843, p. 149) substituted for the acetic acid form the 

 generic name JJlvina. 



According to Hansen (1894, (1911), p. 465) the designation Myco- 

 derma aceti was used by Thomson (1852). This latter author added 

 yeast and a little bread to a sugar solution. In the course of 

 three months a satisfactory vinegar had developed, and in the bottom 

 of the vessel there was a considerable gelatinous deposit which he iden- 

 tified as the JJlvina aceti of Ktitzing. He states that this organism is 

 also termed Mycoderma aceti, though Hansen was unable to determine 

 his authority for the statement. 



Pasteur (1868, p. 106) used the name Mycoderma aceti for the or- 

 ganism present in acetic fermentation. 



This name was also used by Hansen (1879, p. 230) as a generic 

 bacterial designation,, for the species M. Pasteurianum. 



The name has come into general use for certain of the yeast like fungi. 

 However, its use for an acetic organism was suggested by Winslow 

 et al. (1917, p. 551) with the following description. 



Cells rod-shaped, frequently in chains, non-motile. Cells grow usually on the 

 surface of alcoholic solutions, securing growth energy by the oxidation of alcohol 

 to acetic acid. Also capable of utilizing certain other carbonaceous compounds, 

 as sugar and acetic acid. Elongated, filamentous, club-shaped, swollen and 

 even branched cells common and quite characteristic. 



The t3^pe species is Mycoderma aceti (Thompson?) Committee. 



Buchanan (1918, p. 45) used the following description. 



Cells rod-shaped, frequently in chains, non-motile usually, without spores. 

 Obligate aerobes, growing usually as a film on the surface of alcoholic solutions, 

 transforming the alcohol to acetic acid. Involution forms often developed and 

 quite characteristic. 



The type species is Mycoderma aceti Thompson? 



There is some doubt as to the appropriateness of Mycoderma as the name of this 

 genus. It is possible that it should be reserved for the yeasts. 



Enlows (1920, p. 62) calls attention to the fact that the type species 

 "(first in order of arrangement, and subsequent designation by many 

 authors)" is M. ollare. 



