264 BACTERIOLOGY. 



coccus with a gelatinous envelope. The coccus 

 then elongates into a short rod-form, and the 

 gelatinous envelope becomes ellipsoidal. The rod 

 divides into two cocci, and each of these lengthens 

 into a rod and divides. By repetition of this pro- 

 cess a chain of cocci results, encased in a cylindri- 

 cal or ellipsoidal envelope. The chains increase in 

 length, become twisted up, and eventually fall 

 apart into pieces of various lengths. In nourish- 

 ing liquids a great number of little masses are 

 formed, which adhere together, and produce 

 pseudo-parenchymatous structures. These latter 

 may join together, forming still larger agglomera- 

 tions. The masses of zoogloea are of almost a 

 cartilaginous consistency, and admit of sections 

 being made with a razor. After a long time the 

 envelope liquefies, and the cocci are set free ; the 

 latter introduced into fresh nourishing media de- 

 velop new colonies. In the chains some of the 

 cocci become enlarged without changing their 

 form. These acquire the properties of spores, 

 and are called arthro- spores (p. 131). 



This micro-organism occurs occasionally in 

 beet-root juice and the molasses of sugar-makers, 

 forming large gelatinous masses resembling frog- 

 spawn. The vegetation is so rapid that forty-nine 

 hectolitres of molasses, containing 10 per cent, of 

 sugar, were converted within twelve hours into a 

 gelatinous mass ; consequently, it is a formidable 

 enemy of the sugar manufacturers. 



