WHITE AND ORANGE STAPHYLOCOCCI 



163 



related with lactose fermentation and peptonization of the clot, 

 much less closely correlated with liquefaction of gelatin. 



The use of the three primary characteristics listed above for 

 specific differentiation would seem to be justified by the fact 

 that all of them show a distinct bimodal curve, as shown by the 

 Winslows for chromogenesis and gelatin liquefaction, and in the 

 present study, for lactose fermentation. 



TABLE 10 

 Reactions of twelve groups of Staphylococci 



The use of these three characteristics would give us the eight 

 distinct groups shown in the upper two thirds of table 8 and the 

 four groups in the lower third of the table which are character- 

 ized by more restricted and highly variable fermentative power. 

 The detailed reactions of these 12 groups are presented in table 

 10. 



In establishing types among bacteria it is obviously absurd to 

 give a specific name to every combination of characters which 

 may occasionally be met with and we must give proper weight 

 to the frequency with which a given type is found in nature. 



