( :o2 ) 



As in (lie oase of the iiioiilds iii\ osiiüated l)_v llie al^ove-nanied 

 observers, also the species emplovod l)v ine slxtwod the presence of 

 an enzvnie, wliicli dissolves cellulose and lo wliicli the name of 

 "cellnlase" mav be given '). If cidtures on cellulose pidp were treated 

 with chh^roforni. tlie liquid, after being- freed from chhti'oform by 

 evaporation. a|)peared capable of reducing Fkhlino's coppei' solution. 

 If the culture had iteen boiled before being ti'eated \\ illi chlorol"oriu, 

 no reduction tocdv place. From these hist ex|)eriments, which were 

 cou(lucte<I sinularly to those of })KMKkn8 (I.e.), it appeal's that the 

 moulds oidy |)roduce the (piaidity of rediu'ing matter necessary for 

 their growth and no more. That the (pianlity or the nature of the 

 cn/yme sccreleil by the moulds ditfers considerably, is sliown by the 

 great dilference in destructive power, as may be readily obsei-ved 

 from the growth on the paper discs and from the dissolution of the 

 cellulose in the |»a|>er-pul|) cultures. To the |»o\\('rfuI dotroyers belong: 

 l)-ic/ioc/t((/iinii ttsinriiiii , .\/i/ci>i/(>in iHicciiinndcs, Sfi'iii jihiihinii iintrro- 

 siHiroidt'Kiii, ('liiii'toiin'lhi liorridn, Jlotri/tis riihinris, KjnciK'ciim /nir- 

 jti'i'tisci'iis. To the mod(M-ately strong ones: ('luii'toiiiniw liiiizciimini, 

 Sl(tc/ii//)<if/-i/s iilh'i-iKins. ( 'hiilosjmriiiiii hrrliurii m , PijrcinH-luiiid hniiii- 

 (•(>/(! y /'i//'<>/i('iin( (•(III ll ih'iis. 'I"o the weak oues: Sarddrid liil iiucdld , 

 Sporoti'ic/iiiiii homliiiciiniiii, Sji. rost'o/inii, Sjt. j/risco/inn and Asjicniilliis 

 iiiifi'/'. No destruction was noticed with M/icor stoloii'ifcr, Miicor 

 iiiiiccdo, DciiKiliiiiii piilnhiiis and liizoinis ori/zcd. 



Siiiiniuin/ of i;'s///fs. 



1. Cellulose may be luade to dissoKc by the action of denitrifying, 

 non-sporeforming aerobic bacteria pro\ide<j there be aji ///////^'</ supply 

 of ail". 



'2. Altliough iiilrilicalioii canuot take place in the presence of a 

 somewhat large (|uaulily of s(»luiile organic matter, celbdose <loes not 

 alfect this process in case of >uniicient aeration. 



o. The ('(unbined action itf nitrilication and deinlriiication must |>lay 

 an iin|>(u-taul pari in the disappeaiance of cellulose iii nature, for 

 instance in the self puritication of \\atei-s and of the soil, as also in the 

 biological puritication of sewage. 



'j This name, already used by Kohxstamm (I.e.) is |)iefeiai)li' lo the name (7//«s<' 

 wliic.il has been used l)ij Brown and Mohp.is (Journal of (lliem. Soe. r»7, 1S9(), 

 p. 'i."j8) for the cellulose-ilissolving enzyme in germinalinu- seeds and should accord- 

 ing to Mktsch.nikoff (Ann. hist. Pasteui-, 1899, t. ]-2, p. I'Al) be given to an 

 alexin occurring in normal serum. 



