522 GENERAL SYSTEMATIC BACTERIOLOGY 



organis externis nullis, teretes, corpus elongatum," "Infusoria''' ''Aqua- 

 tici," " Hyalini," "Gelatinosi, Vibrionis species." "Tentaculis nullis, 

 inconspicui, teretes" "Vacillantes pellucidi." The species first described 

 is Vibrio lineola, which would thereby become the type. Other species 

 named are Vibrio bacillus and Vibrio undula. 

 Mueller (1786, p. 43) described Vibrio lineola as follows: 



Linearis minutissimus. Animalculum omnium minutissimum; monadem ter- 

 monem exiguitate, fere superans, Vibrioneque Bacillo tricies minus et prorsus 

 diversum. Motus tremulus myriadum punctulorum oblongorum obscuriorum- 

 que in unica guttula, seu undulatio oculo, lenticula maxime amplificante, exhibe- 

 tur. In infusione vegetabili substantiam aquae post plures dies fere adimplet; 

 in alia foetente ultra trimestre servata, et in non foetente post menesem Lemna 

 cooperta cum Cyclidio glaucomate. 



Other species named are Vibrio rugula, V. bacillus, V. undula, 

 V. serpens and V. Spirillum which quite certainly were forms now 

 included among the bacteria. Altogether some 31 species were de- 

 scribed. The fact that the first named organism probably belonged 

 to the bacteria, though many of the others were protozoa, makes its 

 status in bacteriology a matter of concern. 



Two lines of study are necessary in determination of the present 

 nomenclatural status of this genus. First, it is of interest to note the 

 gradual change in the concept of this genus, and second, to trace the 

 fate of Miiller's t^'pe species. 



Bory de St. Vincent (1826, p. 533) included Vibrio as the third genus 

 of his family Vibrionides. The organisms are described as linear or 

 worm-like, body diaphanous, attenuate at both tips. 



Ehrenberg (1828, p. 24) gave the following generic diagnosis: "Ani- 

 mal Polygastricum, Anenterum, elongatum, monomorphum (con- 

 tractione non incrassatum), transverse in multas partes sponte divi- 

 'duum, ore terminali, corpore filiformi cylindrico undatim flexili." 

 He included two species of Mueller, V. lineola and V. rugula. 



Ehrenberg (1838) split this genus into three. Vibrio, Spirillum and 

 Spirochaeta. Vibrio included the organisms which are straight rods, 

 but are flexuous when in motion. Spirillum included the spiral non- 

 flexuous forms, and Spirochaeta the spiral flexuous types. He de- 

 scribed six species in the genus Vibrio, V. lineola, tremulans, sub- 

 iilis, rugula, prolifer and bacillus. In 1840 he named two organisms 

 which can be recognized even today, Vibrio syncyaneus from blue 

 milk and V. synxanthus from yellow milk. 



