Bacterium. 23 



A. COLOURLESS SPECIES. 



30. B. Termo, Dujardin ("Zoophyt," p. 212). 

 Monas Termo, Miiller. 

 ? Palmella Infusionum, Ehrenberg. 

 Zooglxa Termo, Cohn. 



Cells shortly cylindrical, oblong, about 1*5-2 p. long, 

 with a flagellum at each end. (Fig. 13.) 



In the most various substances capable of putrefaction, 

 especially in great num- 

 bers in macerations of -' 

 meat, etc. [A supply * * i ' 

 can be obtained in a , <k * 

 few hours by placing i f 

 a bit of meat in water, v t C. 

 at a sufficient tempera- * 

 ture.] 



Bacterium Termo is the 

 ferment of decay ; it pro- p; g . ^.Bacterium Termo; b, the zoogloea form 

 duces the decay of organic (a and b, after Cohn, x 650 , c, after Dai- 

 substances, and multiplies linger, x 4000). 



abundantly so long as any putrescible material is present, while it 

 disappears when the decay is completed. It may be obtained with 

 certainty by putting a piece of meat into water, and leaving it to itself, 

 allowing the vessel to stand open in a warm place. In consequence of 

 their enormous power of multiplication, the Bacterium cells which are 

 conveyed by the air into the fluid, or which adhere to the meat, form 

 in a short time so numerous a progeny, that even in twenty-four hours 

 the water shows a decided milkiness, which is caused by the Fungus 

 cells floating in it. Moreover that B. Termo is the cause of the decay, 

 and does not, as might be supposed, appear secondarily in the decaying 

 substance, is easily shown by a simple experiment. For if the air is 

 allowed to penetrate without hindrance to a putrescible substance, the 

 decay begins very soon, because the air always contains a number of 

 Bacterium cells. But if the putrescible organic substance is strongly 

 heated (above 50 C.) and then protected from the air, it does not 



