INTRODUCTORY 3 



expanded until it included 10 leaflets, and it has come to include a variety 

 of methods other than those called for in the use of the descriptive chart. 

 By 1953 several other subjects had been selected as desirable to include 

 in future editions, and plans were made for converting the manual into a 

 larger pubhcation. 



While the old manual was in loose-leaf form, it was kept up to date by 

 periodic revision of its leaflets, one or two at a time, and by means of a 

 continuation service owners were enabled to secure the latest editions to 

 insert in their copies. This feature now, unfortunately, has to be given 

 up because of the increased size of the book and of certain practical diffi- 

 culties involved in loose-leaf publication. The committee regrets the 

 necessity of abandoning the old system, but there seems to be no other 

 course than to convert it into a regular book and to hope that revisions to 

 bring the contents up to date can be accomphshed by means of periodic 

 new editions. 



HISTORICAL 



The first efforts toward producing a descriptive chart for characterizing bacteria 

 were made by two different individual investigators, H. W. Conn and S. de M. Gage. 

 The work of these two investigators called the matter to the attention of bacteriolo- 

 gists in general, and it was finally brought before the Society of American Bacteriolo- 

 gists by F. D. Chester at the Philadelphia meeting in December, 1903, and then again 

 at the 1904 meeting, when he explained his idea of a "group number" which would be 

 descriptive of the salient characters of an organism. On his recommendation the 

 society appointed a Committee on Methods for the Identification of Bacterial Species 

 of which Professor Chester was made chairman. This committee drew up the 

 first descriptive chart with which the Society of. American Bacteriologists had any 

 connection. 



This chart was put before the society at its 1905 meeting. It was presented at this 

 time as a preliminary effort, and no endorsement of it was given by the society, nor 

 apparently was such endorsement requested. The committee was instructed to con- 

 tinue its work, and a second chart was prepared during 1906 and presented at the 

 society meeting in December of that year. At this meeting it was decided that the 

 chart should call for more complete data concerning bacteria than provided for by 

 either of the two charts already submitted, so the committee was instructed to do 

 further work along this same line. 



The committee at this time was conrposed of F. D. Chester, F. P. Gorham, and E. F. 

 Smith, but Professor Chester was largely responsible for the first two charts presented 

 at society meetings. Before the committee undertook a further revision, however, 

 he had left bacteriological work and hence was no longer active on the committee. 

 During 1907, therefore. Dr. Smith acted as chairman of the committee, and under his 

 supervision the committee drew up another chart which was presented to the society 

 at its meeting in December of that year. This chart was oflScially endorsed by the 

 society and was put on sale by the secretary of the society. 



For several years following no changes were made in the chart. The next step in 

 its development was brought about by H. A. Harding (1910), who published a paper 

 in which he outlined the complete history of the chart, with copies of the early charts. 



