348 PATHOGENIC MICROORGANISMS 



erysipelas from other streptococci because of the work of Marbaix 1 and 

 others, who produced erysipelas in rabbits with streptococci from non- 

 erysipelatous lesions, after enhancement of their virulence. V. Lingel- 

 sheim 2 proposed a purely morphological differentiation of "longus" 

 and "brevis"; the former class including the streptococci usually found 

 in pyogenic lesions with tendency to form chains of six or niore links, 

 the latter designating the short-chained varieties, including the less 

 virulent streptococci. This classification, however, is not tenable be- 

 cause of the dependence of chain formation upon reaction, consistency, 

 and nutritive qualities of the media employed for cultivation, and 

 upon the influence of animal fluids if the microorganisms are taken 

 direct from lesions. Schottmuller, 3 in 1903, proposed a classification 

 based both upon morphology and the appearance of cultures upon 

 human blood agar. By this method he divided streptococci into two 

 main groups as follows: I. Streptococcus longus seu erysipelatos, consist- 

 ing of the most virulent varieties, with tendency to form long chains, 

 and producing_Jiejnolysis upon blood media. II. Streptococcus mitior 

 seu viridans, including less virulent strains, with usually shorter chain- 

 formation, and producing green, non-hemolyzing colonies upon blood 

 media. A third group, Streptococcus mucosus, will receive special con- 

 sideration in a separate section, and is probably more closely related 

 to the pneumococci. The "viridans" type is of great importance med- 

 ically since it is so commonly found in subacute septic endocar- 

 ditis and has recently been associated by Rosenow and others with 

 rheumatism. 



Attempts to separate the streptococci into subdivisions by their 

 powers to ferment various carbohydrates have been made by Hiss, 

 Gordon, and others. These attempts have, so far, been without practical 

 result. Hiss 4 indicated a tentative division of streptococci into those 

 which fermented monosaccharids alone, those which were also able to 

 ferment disaccharids, and those in which the fermentative powers were 

 extended to the polysaccharids, starch, dextrin, and glycogen. 



Gordon 5 found ten different fermentation reactions among twenty 

 pyogenic streptococci examined, and forty-eight different fermentation 

 reactions among two hundred streptococci isolated from saliva. Other 



1 Marbaix, loc. cit. 



*v. Lingelsheim, "Aetiol. u. Therap. d. Streptokok. Krankh.," etc., Berlin, 1899. 



3 Schottmuller, Miinch. med. Wpch., 1903. 



4 Hiss, Cent. f. Bakt., xxxi, 1902; Jour. Exp. Med., vi, 1905. 



6 Gordon, Annual Report, Local Govern. Board, 33, London, 1903. 



