52 H. B. FANTHAM. 
zoal nature as contrasted with their possible Bacterial 
nature. 
Chemical Reactions. 
Many attempts were made to determine the chemical 
nature of the periplast of these organisms. Since Spiro- 
cheetes may be either Bacteria or Protozoa, special tests 
were applied for “ fungus-cellulose.’ At the outset it must 
be mentioned that the nature of “fungus-cellulose”’ is but 
very vaguely understood, for after consulting works of 
reference (80, 31) on the subject, as well as seeking advice 
from botanical experts, it was still found that the so-called 
tests for this substance were themselves ill-defined. 
Iodine solution stains the organism brown. 
Todine and concentrated sulphuric acid coloured 
the organisms light yellow, not blue; thus cellulose was 
absent, but fungus-cellulose might be present. Some re- 
tained their shape under this treatment for quite a long 
time, and the nuclear core and even the dots along it could 
be focussed, so that these dots were probably not mere 
optical effects. 
Potash in 10 per cent. solution, when applied to these 
organisms, showed striations in the periplast. Some of the 
organisms retained their shape for a long period, and were 
not dissolved. Insolubility in alkalies is characteristic of 
chitin, and fungus-cellulose may be absent. 
Concentrated sulphuric acid alone dissolved the outer 
portion of the organism (the periplast) after about three 
hours, but the membrane was not especially soon dissolved. 
The nuclear core remained undissolved at the end of this 
period. There was no obvious charring. These reactions 
with strong acids again rather point to the presence of a 
quantity of a chitinoid substance, and not of cellulose. 
Potash solution was applied to some of these organisms, 
and afterwards iodine and sulphuric acid. There was 
no blue coloration evident, and as fungus-cellulose should 
appear blue after these reagents when applied in the order 
