CONDITIONS OF LIFE OF THE FISSION FUNGI. 525 



(e) Conditions of Life of the Fission Fungi. 

 1. Chemical Composition of the Fission Fungi. 



In order to isolate the fission fungi from the nutrient Chemical corn- 

 fluid, it is well to follow Nencki's* method, by render- 

 ing the fluid acid by the addition of 2 to 3 per cent, of 

 free hydrochloric acid, and then boiling it. The bac- 

 terial masses are thus coagulated, and may be easily 

 obtained by filtration ; we must, however, avoid nutrient 

 solutions, from which albumen might be precipitated 

 by this method. In a 2 per cent, solution of gelatine 

 (and also in a solution of mucate of ammonia) Nencki 

 found the following composition, in the case of the 

 bacteria, corresponding to the different stages of their 

 development, beginning with the formation of a very 

 gelatinous zooglea : 



The albuminous material is to a great extent formed 

 of a body which differs from other proteid substances 

 in some of its reactions for example, it is not precipi- 

 tated by alcohol and especially in its elementary com- 

 position; it has been called by Nencki my co-protein. 

 This substance contains 52'32 per cent. C., 7'55 per 

 cent. H., 14*75 per cent. N. ; no sulphur, and no phos- my co-protein, 

 phorus. On heating it with caustic potash, the following 

 substances were obtained : phenol, skatol, indol, large 

 quantities of fatty acids especially valerianic acid, and 

 leucine.t 



* Nencki, Beitrage zur Biologie der Spalfpitze, 1880. 

 f Nencki's Journ.filr prakt. Chem., N.F., vol. 23. 



