196 RELATIONSHIPS OF THE COCCACE^ 



failed to do so on the first trial. In broth, two types of 

 growth appeared: diffuse turbidity was associated with 

 the microscopic picture of single cocci and pairs; sediment, 

 below a clear liquid, was associated with the occurrence of 

 cells in larger masses. The application of the nine tests 

 mentioned above, with the exception of the peptonization of 

 the milk clot, which was generally negative, showed that one 

 type of albococcus is characteristic of the skin, being pre- 

 dominant on the hand, cheek, scalp, and forearm. It was 

 characterized by turbidity in broth, coagulation of milk, 

 liquefaction of gelatin, change in neutral red, reduction 

 of nitrates, and fermentation of lactose, maltose, and 

 glycerin, but not of mannite. On the scalp, a second type 

 appeared in almost equal abundance, which was negative 

 in all these respects, except in nitrate reduction and in the 

 fact that it formed acid in mannite. On the hand and 

 cheek, a considerable minority belonged to a type ferment- 

 ing maltose and lactose, but giving negative results in other 

 respects. A few cultures from the air showed somewhat 

 different characters, altho the number studied was insuffi- 

 cient to warrant definite conclusions. 



The second of Gordon's types, found on the scalp, is a 

 somewhat puzzling form to classify. From its positive 

 Gram reaction and its apparently common occurrence on 

 the body it should be an Albococcus. On the other hand, 

 its failure to form acid in lactose broth and other sugar 

 media would place it with the micrococci. It is quite 

 possible that pale yellow and whitish micrococci, of 



