266 S. OELA-JENSEN 



biological properties, and as the researches initiated to that end 

 are only in an embryonic state, it does not seem necessary to 

 me that the bacteriologists out of regard for priority should relin- 

 quish all hope of estabhshing a practical nomenclature. 



Although it is well-known that the red as well as the colorless 

 sulphur bacteria may appear in all the forms known in the world 

 of bacteria, and that even a single species of bacteria (for instance, 

 Crenothrix and Azotobacter) in the first state of development may 

 only divide in one plane but later in more planes, yet the Com- 

 mittee cannot admit that in case of other bacteria there may be a 

 near relationship between sphere-, rod- and screw-forms. Still 

 I entertain a perhaps not unwarranted hope, that my recently 

 published monograph of the lactic acid bacteria may be able to 

 change the opinion of the Committee. Here we have to do with 

 a large group of bacteria consisting of sphere- as well as rod- 

 forms, nevertheless forming a natural family which we could call 

 Ladohacteriaceae. This family I have founded, of course, not 

 only on the specially developed power of forming lactic acid 

 (since there exist many different organisms which are able to 

 form, at any rate, small quantities of lactic acid); but I base it 

 upon the fact that the bacteria which we call true lactic acid 

 bacteria have so many other properties in common that there 

 cannot be any doubt about their close relationship. Thus, they 

 are Gram-positive, faculatively anaerobic (without surface 

 growth in stab culture), they make excessively great demands 

 as to nitrogenous nutriment, and, most remarkably, in con- 

 tradistinction to most other bacteria, they are unable to liberate 

 oxygen from peroxide of hydrogen. 



The sphere-forms belonging to the lactic acid bacteria ordi- 

 narily divide only in one plane, and, according as they form 

 dextro- or laevo-lactic acid, they belong to the genera Strepto- 

 coccus or Betacoccus. The acid-forming micrococci and sarcinse, 

 on the contrary, differ in so many respects from the true lactic 

 acid bacteria, that they can hardly be placed here. Thus, my 

 researches lead to the result that it is not the shape that makes 

 the difference between sphere- and rod-formed bacteria, but, if 

 anything, the division in one or more planes. The rod-forms 



