528 GENERAL SYSTEMATIC BACTERIOLOGY 



Vibrioniens. The single family of the first order of the Infusoria 

 named by Diijardin (1841, p. 209). The diagnosis given is: "Animaux 

 filiformes extremement minces, sans organisation appreciable, sans 

 organes locomoteurs visibles." Three gfenera are included: Bac- 

 terium, Vibrio and Spirillum. 



Vibriothrix. A generic name proposed by Castellani (1917). Cas- 

 tellani and Chalmers (1919, p. 1068) give the following description: 



The mycelial articles are motile, of very different shape: bacillary, vibrio- 

 like, spirillum-like, at times club-ended. Globular or pear-shaped bodies of very 

 variable size may be present. Gram-negative, not acid-fast. Cultivable on 

 ordinary media. 



Type species. Vibriothrix zeylanica Castellani, 1910. 



Synonyms. Spirillum zeylanicum Castellani, 1910; Vibrio zeylanicus Cas- 

 tellani, 1913; Bacillus zeylanicus CsiS,ie\\a,m, \^\Z;Vibriothrix zeylanicaQasteW&m., 

 1917; Spirobacillus zeylanicus Castellani, Spagnolo, and Russo, 1918. 



Remarks. Very polymorphic organism vibrio-like, bacillus-like, and undulating 

 forms being often found in the same preparation. Very small, medium size, and 

 occasionally large roundish bodies are at times observed, and club-like forms may 

 also be present. 



The organism is motile, Gram-negative, not acid-fast. Easily grown on ordinary 

 media. On potato the growth is often of a reddish colour. In broth there is 

 often a pellicle ; preparations from the fluid medium generally show a predominance 

 of vibrio-like or bacillary forms, while in the pellicle long undulating forms are 

 often found. On MacConkey's medium the colonies are white, and somewhat 

 resemble those of the typhoid-dysentery group. The organism does not ferment 

 any of the usual laboratory carbohydrates or alcohols : glucose, levulose, galactose, 

 maltose, lactose, saccharose, mannitol, dulcite, rafl^ose. There is, in fact, 

 frequently a production of alkalinity. Milk is not clotted and is rendered al- 

 kaline, and certain strains after several weeks may induce a certain degree of pep- 

 tonization. The great majority of strains are non-pathogenic to rabbits and 

 guinea-pigs. 



Weinbergillus. A generic name proposed by Heller (1922, p. 31) 

 with the following description: 



Highly proteolytic Putrificoideae that in meat medium cause the formation of 

 balls of amino-acid crystals. They digest the meat particles till their bulk is 

 greatly reduced and form large amounts of ammonia, amino-nitrogen and fatty 

 acids. They digest the casein in milk rapidly. Attack few or no sugars. Pro- 

 duce little or no gas in agar media. Gram-positive or Gram-negative rods with 

 sub-terminal oval spores. Colonies in deep agar small, delicate woolly structures. 

 May invade living tissue in company with other organisms, or at times alone, 

 producing a rapid and complete digestion of muscular and connective tissue 

 structures. 



Type species W. histolyticus (Bacillus histolyticus Weinberg and S^guin) as 

 described by Henry (p. 370) . Weinberg and S^guin and the Committee allow con- 



