48 THE FORMATION OF PROTEIDS IN PLANT-CELLS. 



amyl alcohol, we observe that the higher members of the series 

 have noxious qualities. We must apply much higher dilutions 

 to be able to raise a bacterial vegetation. While methyl alcohol 

 in 1% solution, containing 0,1% K 2 HP0 4 , 0,1 % (NH 4 ) 2 HP0 4 

 and 0,01% MgS0 4 develops easily bacterial growth, we have to 

 use amylic alcohol in dilutions of 0,1% to make this possible. )Z 



Of considerable interest is the decrease in the nutritive quali- 

 ties of the fatty acids with the increase of their molecular weight. 2) 

 If we prepare for instance 0,5% solutions of sodium acetate and 

 of sodium valarianate and add to each of them 0,2% K I H 2 P0 4 , 

 0,2% KN0 3 and 0,05% MgS0 4 and infect a set of these solutions 

 with spores of Penicillium, with Saccharomyces Mycoderma and 

 with bacteria from putrid meat, we observe with acetate of sodium 

 after three days a considerable development, while with the 

 valerianate merely a slight turbidity is visible. After another 

 3 days a most luxuriant development of Penicillium, Saccharomyces 

 and of large bacteria takes place in the acetate, while neither 

 Penicillium nor Saccharomyces, but merely moderate bacterial 

 vegetation consisting of large bacilli forming zoogloea is observed 

 with the valerianate. 



In a like manner it was observed that Penicillium did not 

 grow in 0,1% solution of lecithin, 5) but only bacteria to a mode- 

 rate extent ; this vegetation made the impression of a pure 

 culture, although the infection was made from putrid meat con- 

 taining various kinds of microbes ; probably that solution does 

 not suit for every kind. 



The lowest of the fatty acids, formic acid, can, as it seems, 

 only be utilised by one kind of bacterium, 4 ^ evidently a difficulty 

 being encountered here in transforming it into the suitable 

 group for synthetical operations. The next related compound, 

 form-aldehyde, is as such, in the free state, poisonous, but 

 it forms combinations with primary sodium sulfite and with 

 ammonia, which can be utilised as sources of carbon for a 

 bacillus and for a kind of Dematium.^ 



1) According to R. Brown (Chem. Soc. Journ. 1886) Bacterium aceti utilises 

 methyl-, but not amyl alcohol. 



2) These observations agree essentially with those of Stutzcr, Z. f. physio] . 

 Chem. 1882. 



3) Spores of Penicillium were introduced repeatedly during a period of 4 weeks. 



4) O. Loew, Centralbl. f. Bacteriol. 12, Nr 14. 



5) Ibid, and Botan. Centr. 1890. 



