4 8 
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 i % solution, containing 0,1 % K 2 HP 0 4 , 0,1 % (NH 4 ) 2 HP 0 4 
and 0,01% MgS 0 4 develops easily bacterial growth, we have to 
use amylic alcohol in dilutions of 0,1% to make this possible.) 1 
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 P 0 4 , 
0,2% KNCP and 0,05% MgS 0 4 and infect a set of these solutions 
with spores of Pénicillium , with Saccharomyces My coder ma 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 Pénicillium , Saccharomyces 
and of large bacteria takes place in the acetate, while neither 
Pénicillium nor Saccharomyces , but merely moderate bacterial 
vegetation consisting of large bacilli forming zooglœa is observed 
with the valerianate. 
In a like manner it was observed that Pénicillium did not 
grow in 0,1% solution of lecithin, 3 ) 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 5 ) 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 fo rms combinations with primary sodium sulfite and with 
ammonia, which can be utilised as sources of carbon for a 
bacillus and fora kind of Dematium . 4) 
1) According to R. Brown (Chem. Soc. Journ. 1.886) Bacterium, aceti utilises 
methyl-, but not amyl alcohol. 
2) These observations agree essentially with those of Stutzer, Z. f. physiol. 
Chem. 1882. 
3) Spores of Pénicillium were introduced repeatedly during a period of 4 weeks. 
4) O. Loew, Centralbl. f. Bacteriol. 12, Nr 14. 
5) Ibid, and Botan. Centr. 1890. 
