162 MAX LEVINE 



one instance (5 per cent) was the carbinol test positive with 

 sucrose; in 5 cultures (25 per cent) traces were observed with 

 lactose; but with fructose, galactose, raffinose, mannitol and 

 saUcin the reaction was invariably negative. 



On the other hand, the carbinol test with the organisms which 

 gave a positive reaction with glucose was almost always positive 

 with levulose (100 per cent), galactose (90.9 per cent), and suc- 

 rose (95.5 per cent), usually positive with lactose (68.2 per cent) 

 and mannitol (59.1 per cent), and occasionally positive with 

 raffinose (36.4 per cent) and salicin (22 per cent). 



These results show quite conclusively that the metabolism 

 of certain carbohydrates by the fecal group of coli-like organism 

 is fundamentally different from that of the non-fecal group. 



The carbinol test was usually most intense and distinct in 

 sucrose peptone solution. 



CONCLUSIONS 



The Voges-Proskauer reaction and alkalinity to methyl red 

 in 0.5 per cent di-potassium phosphate, glucose peptone solu- 

 tion are correlated. These reactions were not given b}^ any of 

 the 117 strains isolated from the feces of the horse, cow, sheep 

 hog and man. 



A review of the literature on the distribution of B. aerogenes 

 and B. cloacae (Voges-Proskauer positive organisms) corroborates 

 the contention of Rogers and his associates that coli-like organ- 

 isms which give a high CO2/H2 gas ratio, and an alkaline reaction 

 to methyl red in 0.5 per cent peptone di-potassium phosphate 

 glucose solution, are rare in feces. 



The natural habitat of coli-like bacteria which form acetyl- 

 methyl-carbinol from glucose and other carbohydrates is prob- 

 ably the soil. 



The production of acetyl-methyl-carbinol from different car- 

 bohydrates and alcohols might serve as a differential index. 



Practically all strains gave a trace of the carbinol in maltose- 

 peptone solution. 



Of the organisms which did not give the Voges-Proskauer 

 reaction only 5 per cent formed acetyl-methyl-carbinol from 

 sucrose, and 25 per cent gave a trace from lactose. With all 



