INFLUENCE OF ILLUMINATING GAS ON BACTERIA AND FUNGI 3 
Frankland (4, 5) investigated the effect of hydrogen, carbon dioxide, 
carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, nitric oxide, sulphuretted hydrogen, 
and sulphurous anhydride on Bacillus pyocyaneus and the spirilla of 
Koch and Finkler. In carbon monoxide the spirilla produced colonies 
sparsely while B. pyocyaneus produced none until later exposed to the 
air. Nitrous oxide hindered the production of colonies, but did not 
prevent it, while nitric oxide, sulphuretted hydrogen, and sulphurous 
anhydride each prevented the development of colonies not only while 
the medium was exposed to the gas but also after its return to the air. 
Krause (9) observed that B. pyocyaneus would grow in an atmos- 
phere of illuminating gas or hydrogen sulphide but would not produce 
pigment under those conditions. When later exposed to atmospheric 
air the cultures produced the usual pigment. 
Smith (14, p. 58) has made the statement that the small amount 
of carbon monoxide present where the oxygen has been removed by 
the potash-pyrogallol method of conducting anaerobic cultures is 
harmless to many bacteria, but that he has reason to think that it is 
injurious to others, even if it does not entirely inhibit growth. The 
grounds for his suspicion were not given. 
MoHsch (11) studied the effect of tobacco smoke on certain phanero- 
gams and micro-organisms. He found that the movements of Chro- 
matium vinosum (Ehrenb.) Winogradsky, Beggiatoa sp., and Spirillum 
sp. were stopped by the smoke. The growth of Phycomyces nitens 
was slowed down. His work showed that nicotin will not cause 
reactions in the phanerogamic plants used, Vicia saliva, Pisum salivum 
and Cucurhita Pepo, simiilar to those caused by the smoke, but that 
pyridin and carbon monoxide will each do it. This result is reinforced 
by the added observation that the smoke from burning paper, wood 
or straw will induce the same reactions. 
Miinz (12) has recently succeeded in isolating from garden soil, 
ditch water, river ooze and leaf fragments of various water plants 
certain bacteria which are capabfe of utilizing methane as a source 
of carbon and of energy. The writer regrets that he has not had the 
opportunity of reading Miinz's paper. The note given above was 
made from an abstract in the Zeitschrift fiir Botanik. The original 
paper is a dissertation at Halle, and, owing to the war, was not avail- 
able for examination. 
The published work with fungi and algae is even less abundant 
than with bacteria. A few pieces of work are worth mention, however. 
