io6 
The Ohio Naturalist. 
[Vol. VII, No. 5, 
The study of the bacteriology of the drinking cup is in a way 
closely connected with the study of the bacteriology of the 
mouth and the body surfaces surrounding the mouth. The 
bacteria which infest the mouth and proximate surfaces and 
orifices we would be quite liable to find on the cup which came 
in contact with that organ and with the surfaces of the body which 
are in immediate proximity. In comparing the species of 
bacteria found in our examinations with those reported as hav¬ 
ing been isolated from the mouth, we find our assumption 
verified in several cases. 
The method of examination was as follows: A sterile cotton 
swab containing a little moisture was passed over the edge and 
interior of the drinking cup and this in turn drawn over the 
surface of sterile agar and Loefflers’ blood serum contained in 
test tubes. The media was 1% acid to phenolphthalein. Cover 
glasses were also smeared and stained, after drying and fixing, 
with anilin gentian violet, Loefflers alkaline methylene blue, and 
by Grams’ method. The cultures after being grown for 24 hours 
at 22° C. and 37° C. were diluted and plated in Petri dishes after 
which cultures were made according to the ordinary bacteriolog¬ 
ical technique. The bacteria were differentiated by means of 
Chester’s “Manual of Determinative Bacteriology” and Matz- 
uschita’s “ Bacteriologische Diagnostik.” The pathogenic power 
of certain species of bacteria was tested on guinea pigs and rab¬ 
bits. Frequently the cover glass preparations showed bacteria 
which we were unable to cultivate and consequently were unable 
to determine the species. Without doubt there were other 
bacteria present on the cups which were not revealed by cultiva¬ 
tion or on cover glass preparation. No attempt was made to 
cultivate anaerobic bacteria except in two cases. 
Ex. No. 1. Swab was taken from a cup in connection with 
an ice tank in the hall of one of the state charity institutions. 
The cup was used in the main by visitors and employees. The 
cover glass preparation and cultural experiments showed the 
following bacteria to be present. 
1. Micrococcus citreus (Sternberg). Distributed in air 
normally. 
2. Micrococcus pyogenes albus (Rosenbach). A pyogenic 
bacterium. Common. The pathogenesis of thisparticularorganism 
was not great, guinea pigs dying only after 7 to 8 days. Widely 
distributed over the body surfaces. 
3. Sarcina lutea (Fliigge). Widely distributed in air and 
water. 
4. Pseudomonas flourescens, var. liq. (Fliigge). Widely 
distributed in air, etc. 
• Ex. No. 2. Swab taken from same cup as No. 1. A child 
(visitor at the hospital) had become sick and after vomiting was 
