PROBLEMS IN THERMOPHILY II. The Isolation and Characterisation of Therimophlic Bacilli

Abstract

A beginning has been made in this country in the isolation and identification of bacteria capable of growth at 55° C. The wide occurrence of these highly resistant bacilli is indicated by their r presence in almost every sample of soil, water, laboratory dust and some canned fruits that were examined. Out of the ninety-five cultures isolated, thirty-six were identified as strains of B. subtilis, nine as strains of B. coagulans, five as strains of B. megaterium, four as strains of B.frmus, four as strains of B. sphaPricus, three as strains of B. brevis, and one as a strain of B. stearothermophilus. The remaining isolates have been characterised and grouped according to their size, shape and other peculiarities but have not been identified upto the species. It has been pointed out that the number of isolates of each species isolated by us is no indication of their distribution in nature as the species obtained depend to a large -extent on the method adopted for isolation.