472. Studies in the bacteriology of milk: III. The corynebacteria of milk

Abstract

The corynebacteria that were isolated by non-selective methods from raw and pasteurized milk are of two main types: (1) heat-sensitive diphtheroid organisms which appear to be derived principally from the animal body, and (2) thermoduric saprophytes originating from dairy equipment. The characters of group (2), which are discussed in detail, indicate that all the cultures examined belong to a single species,Corynebacterium lacticum.Reasons are given for classifying that species inCorynebacteriumand for suppressing the genusMicrobacterium.