9 



larv tract and isolated from lliree different persons. P. noialiim^ 

 and P. freqiientans were both isolated from cold-blooded animals, 

 the former from lizard, the latier from frog. 



Rhizopiis nigricans, one of Ihe most widely distribuled moulds, 

 found in the air (Jelliffe 30) as well as in soil (Adametz 1, Ha- 

 GEM 19, 20, Jensen 31) was isolated onh^ once from the alimeniary 

 canal of rabbit. Oidium lactis, fairly common in the alimentary 

 canal of man, bas recently been found to be very common as sapro- 

 phyte on vegetable matter and farm products as milk, butter, cheese, 

 etc. (ScHNELL 55). The earlier reports of Cao (5), Nothnagel (44), 

 and MoRO (43) on the presence of this fungus in human and ani- 

 mal faeces have been mentioned before. 



5. The Action of Temperature and Qastric Juice on 

 Spores of Penicilliuni and Aspergillus. 



There is one characteristic common to all the forms isolated 

 from the alimentar}^ canal of man and warm-blooded animals. The 

 optimum temperature for the growth of the different fungi lies in 

 the neighborhood of 37^ C. It varies within a couple of degrees 

 in some of them, being 38^ — 42^ C. in Aspergillus nidalans, and 37" 

 — 40*^ C. in A. fumigaliis. The range of the optimum temperature 

 is greater in Aspergillus niger and in Rhizopiis nigricans but both 

 grow vigorously up to at least 38" C. This also holds true with 

 the other forms e. g. Aspergillus lerreus, A. umbrinus, A. flauus, 

 Oidium lactis, Penicilliuni divaricatum, and P. luteum, which are all 

 retarded in growth at room temperature. The optimum tempera- 

 ture of Penicillium avellaneiim lies at 36" — 38" C. The two forms 

 isolated from cold-blooded animals, namely Penicillium notatum and 

 P. frequentans grow well at room temperature, but do not show a 

 sign of development at 37" C. 



Before going further it seems desirable to call attention to one 

 of the most striking points brought out by the examinations of the 

 fungous content of human faeces. None of the extremely common 

 moulds found on almost any vegetable malier could be detected. 

 Aspergillus glaiicus, Penicillium expansum, P. commune and other 

 forms of P. glaucum were not oblained from any of Ihe samples. 



^ Dr Thom informs me that the species I have listed here as P. notatiini belongs 

 to a series of forms closely related to this and P. chrysogcmm Thom, but is not 

 fuUy identical with any of these. 



