MORPHOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION l6l 



if the distinction is of sufficient importance, or to drop the dis- 

 tinctive term from the Latin name altogether if the difference 

 proves to be unimportant. The system of genera is in a very 

 unsatisfactory state, especially in the schizomycetes where the 

 number of species in one genus is much too large. Even in the 

 other great groups the generic nomenclature is far from settled. 

 The specific name however should be a very definite and single 

 term, and it is usually either the first published name given to 

 the organism or some emended adaptation of it, in proper 

 grammatical agreement with the generic term employed. Thus, 

 in designating the parasite of syphilis, one may employ the term 

 Spirochceta pallida classing it in the genus Spiroch&ta (Ehren- 

 berg), but if he adopts the proposed genus Treponema (Schau- 

 dinn) the name becomes Treponema pallidum. 



