180 Report oF DEPARTMENT OF BACTERIOLOGY OF THE 
it is so interesting and important a thing that it is to be hoped 
that further confirmatory evidence may be adduced. Potter 
also records diastatic action by this organism. In comparing 
our results with his it is to be borne in mind that the organism 
we have in culture is probably not his original organism, since 
this is a Bacillus instead of a Pswedomonas. 
Spieckermann (1902) describes in detail cytolytic action. by 
his organism identical with that observed by us, and absence 
of diastatic action. 
Van Hall (19038) likewise describes in detail cytolytic action 
stopping short of complete solution of the cellulose wall and 
absence of diastase action by Bacillus omnivorus. 
Harrison (1902) has attributed solution of the middle la- 
mella to the organisms described by him. 
We are therefore convinced that in all of these cases, includ- 
ing the forty-five strains of organisms from different sources, 
there is developed the same middle-lamella-dissolving enzym 
as in B. carotovorus, and that moreover in all cases alike there 
is neither complete solution of the cellulose elements of the 
wall nor diastatic action. 
CYTOLYTIC ACTION AS RECORDED FOR OTHER BAC- 
TERIA. 
The fact that the softening and solution of plant cell walls 
result from certain bacterial growths has been known for many 
vears. 
Mitscherlich in 1850 observed the destruction of cell walls 
and consequent liberation of starch when potatoes decompose 
in water, and believed it due to the vibriones which develop in 
the liquid. 
Van Tieghem (1879) studied the decomposition of various 
vegetable tissues. He considered this due to the action of a 
single polymorphous species of Bacillus to which he gave the 
specific name amylobacter. He found that these organisms 
could decompose only the vounger or less resistant tissues. 
Old tissues and those lignified, cuticularized, or suberized were 
resistant to the action as also was the cellulose of bast fibres. 
