500 



The Chemical Action of Bacillus cloacae [Jordan) on Glucose and 

 Mannitol. 

 By James Thompson. 



(Communicated by Arthur Harden, F.R.S. Received November 22, 1911, — 

 Read February 1, 1912.) 



(From the Biochemical Department, Lister Institute.) 



The close relationship of B. cloacce (Jordan) to B. lactis aerogenes (Escherich) 

 suggested the investigation of the chemical action of the former on glucose 

 and mannitol. The two organisms are lactose-fermenting bacilli, allied to 

 B. coli communis, and showing a close resemblance to each other in their 

 biological characteristics. B. lactis aerogenes is a non-motile, Gram-negative, 

 non-liquefying bacillus, a facultative anaerobe which produces acid and 

 clotting in milk. B. cloacaz is a facultative anaerobic bacillus, actively motile, 

 Gram-negative, slowly liquefying gelatine, and producing acid and clot in 

 milk. The chief biological characters of the organisms will be clearly seen 

 in the following table, in which + means acid and gas, — no action : — 



Cane 



Glucose. Lactose. sugar. Dulcitol. Dextrin. Inulin. 



B. cloacce + + + — + — 



B. lactis aerogenes -t- + + — -h — 



Harden and Walpole* have already fully investigated the products of the 

 decomposition of glucose and mannitol by B. lactis aerogenes, and a comparison 

 of their results with those to be obtained from B. cloaca? presented a problem 

 of considerable interest, owing to the fact that both organisms give the 

 Voges and Proskauer reaction. This reaction is due to the presence of 

 acetylmethylcarbinol, which is closely related to butylene glycol, a substance 

 which had been found as one of the products of the fermentation of glucose 

 by B. lactis aerogenes. The organism was grown anaerobically in a medium 

 containing 1 per cent, of Witte peptone and 2 per cent, of the sugar in the 

 presence of chalk. The products were examined by the method outlined by 

 Hardenf in his investigation of the action of B. coli communis on glucose. 



An alteration in the method of collecting the evolved gases was made, 

 with the object of eliminating the error involved in collecting over saturated 

 brine, in which carbon dioxide is slightly soluble. The collecting apparatus 



* ' Roy. Soc. Proc.,' 1906, B, vol. 77, p. 399, and 1911, B, vol. 83, p. 272. 

 t 'Chem. Soc. Trans.,' 1901, p. 610. 



