BIOCHEMISTRY OF AEROBACTER AEROGENES AND BACILLUS CEREUS.

Dulcitol-negative Aerobacter aerogenes and dulcitol-positive A. aerogenes syn. A. Oxytoctum) have been isolated from potatoes suffering from the black centre disease, and B cereus from rotting ' Chiku ' fruit (Achras sapota, L.). The products of meta­bolism of these three organisms on carbohydrate substrates have been examined. Acetyl methyl carbinol, ethyl alcohol, acids and gases are the principal products. The influence of the nature of substrate, hydrogen ion concentration of media, the tempera­ture of fermentation and the effect of aeration have been studied in detail.