230 I3IP0BTANT VARIETIES OF FISSION-FUNGI. 



sugar with liberation of gas was lost, the cultures then 

 groAving thin and delicate upon potato, but still coagu- 

 lating milk. They thus resembled the Bact. Giintheri, 

 but it is stained by Gram's method. 



For ITS, consequently, all the above-mentioned forms are 

 botanically only biologically characteristic adaptation forms 

 of the same organism, which must come under the oldest 

 name of Bacterium pneumoniae Friedlander. For practi- 

 cal purposes we will, as formerly, differentiate the ' ' varie- 

 ties," but we must be conscious of their close relationship 

 and of the possibility, in pai't proved, of their being con- 

 verted into one another. These conclusions agree essentially 

 with the statements of Kruse and ^Vilde (Fliigge-Kruse's 

 Lehrbuch, in. Aufl., p. 336, and Wilde, Diss., Bonn, 1896), 

 founded upon special studies. They have made observa- 

 tions regarding the variability of flagella, especially in this 

 group, which correspond exactly with what occurs in 

 other groups, as we know from our own observations or 

 from what is found in literature, so that the relationship 

 with the colon group stands out yet more strongly. We 

 have failed to distinguish, like Kruse, a Bact. coli immo- 

 Ijile, yet the less moist forms of Bact. aerogenes, according 

 to our own and Kruse' s judgment, can not be distin- 

 guished from the Bact. coli except by a lack of motility. 



Bacterium lactis viscosum. (Adametz, C. B. ix, 698.) 

 Lehiti. and Neum. 



Resembles the Bact. pneumonife both macroscopioally and micro- 

 scopically. Upon the gelatin plate it often appeara as elevated 

 droplets. Non-motile, with capsules, staining hj' Gram's method. 

 The surface growth in the gelatin stab is wide-spread but not very 

 luxuriant; upon agar and potato abundant, white, tenacious. Neither 

 grape- nor milk-sugar is fermented ; little indol and no H^.S are formed. 

 Milk and bouillon gradually become viscons, slimy, and may be 

 drawn out in long threads. The milk is not coagulated, and is feebly 

 alkaline; bouillon Ijecomes very cloudy. The slime is a carbohydrate, 

 which originates from the capsules of the bacteria. In our culture, 

 obtained from Krai, nothing was to be seen of the spore-formation 

 which Zinnnermaim claims to have seen. The organism was discovered 

 by Adametz as an important enemy of the butter industry, the cream 

 becoming slimy and the butter obtained therefrom spoiling and 

 becoming soft and pale. Found by Zimmermann in water. Leich- 

 mann's bacillus, which is somewhat thermophilic, does not form 

 spores, and ferments sugars, appears diEEerent (C. B. xvi, 123). 



