ABSTRACTS 565 



The author concludes that the data as summarized show the need 

 of improvement in the bacteriological condition of many of the brands 

 of bottled water to be found in the market. There are some springs 

 used for the production of commercial bottled waters which should not 

 be used. In other cases, the contaminations found are clearly those of 

 manipulation. 



The results clearly show that bottled water can be made to conform 

 to the requirements of the United States Public Health Service for 

 drinking water furnished upon trains; that is, that not more than one 

 10 cc, sample out of five should show the presence of B. coli. — S. H. A. 



Confirmatory Tests for B. coli in Routine Water Examinations. W. H. 



Frost. (Amer. Jour, of Pub. Health, 1916, 6, 585-588.) 



If no typical colonies develop within 24 hours on Endo plates made 

 from fermentation tubes showing gas, further effort is made to recover 

 B. coli as follows: (1) One or more colonies are transferred to lactose 

 broth fermentation tubes. The formation of gas demonstrates pres- 

 ence of B. coli. (2) Plates are again made from the original fermenta- 

 tion tube. (3) A transplant is made from the original fermentation 

 tube directly to another lactose broth tube. If steps (1) and (2) have 

 both failed to recover B. coli, plates are are now made from this trans- 

 planted culture. (4) At the same time a transfer is made from this 

 tube directly to a third fermentation tube. 



If all of the above procedures fail to recover B. coli and gas is still 

 formed in this fermentation tube, the inference is that gas in the pre- 

 liminarj'- test was due to an anaerobe. 



The presumptive test for B. coli whether in lactose bile or lactose 

 broth is subject to considerable variations in its specificity as indicat- 

 ing the demonstrable presence of B. coli. Careful confirmation of the 

 presumptive test is especially important in the examination of treated 

 waters, where the error in this test is greater than in raw waters. — D. G. 



CLASSIFICATION OF BACTERIA 



Studies on the Classification of the Colon-Typhoid Group. J. B. Thomas 



and E, A. Sandman. (Amer. Jour, of Pub. Health, 1916, 6, 579- 



584.) 



The conclusions as given by the authors are: Glycerine is of value in 

 separating B. cloacae from B. communior and B. aerogenes, but is fer- 

 mented by both of the latter types, while B. communis isolated from 

 water frequently fails to ferment it. 



Dulcite and adonite are of httle value in separating B. cloacae from 

 B. aerogenes and B. communior while a majority of B. communis iso- 

 lated from water fail to ferment these substances. 



Sahcin is frequently fermented by all the lactose-positive organisms. 



Raflanose is frequently fermented and dextrin usually fermented by 

 all of the lactose-positive organisms. — D. G. 



