260 IMPORTANT VARIETIES OF FISSION-FUNGI. 



Bacterium caniculae. (Qalli=Valerio.) L. and N. 



Cause of an epidemic in dogs. 



After earlier investigations had given either negative or 

 uncertain results (Microc. pyogenes as cause), recently two 

 authors^ (Galli-Valerio, C. B. xvii, 677 ; xix, 694 ; and 

 Jess, C. B. XXV, 541) claim to have discovered the cause 

 of an important disease of dogs in short, small, motile 

 bacteria (1 to 2 /-i long, 0.3 to 0.6 or even 0.9 ya thick). 

 The disease can be successfully transferred to young dogs 

 and cats; according to Jess, also to rabbits and guinea- 

 pigs, but not to mice, the symptoms then corresponding 

 to those of the natural, multiform disease, in which the 

 picture is dominated by fever, ocular and nasal catarrh, 

 protrusio bulbi, and bloody diarrhea. 



The statements of both authors do not deviate in any 

 important way. 



According to the description of Jess, who needlessly 

 places his findings in contrast with those of Galli-Valerio, 

 the organisms, which are readily cultivated at room tem- 

 perature, appear to be related to the colon group. They 

 are motile, haying a single polar flagellum; gelatin is not 

 liquefied; upon agar there is a gray growth; upon potato 

 a white, velvety growth. In gelatin there occur a few gas 

 bubbles (grape-sugar?). There is a tendency to polar 

 staining by Gram's method. From the descrij)tion of 

 Galli-^^alerio, who places great value upon the form being 

 sometimes shorter and sometimes longer, it appears that 

 old gelatin cultures present funnel-shaped depressions 

 without liquefaction, and that the growth in milk is not 

 accompanied by coagulation or fermentation of milk- 

 sugar. No indol is formed. 



Supplement to the Non-liquefying, "White, Non- 

 motile, Short Bacteria. 



The Bacteria of Acetic Acid Fermentation. 



A small group of very closely related varieties form 

 acetic acid from dilute alcohol (for example, beer-wort to 



' More extensive reference to the literature is given by these authors. 



