Staphylococci and their Classification

The biochemical and fermentation reactions of 432 strains of aerobic, catalase-positive. Gram-positive cocci were examined in an attempt to produce an orderly classification of the group. The subdivision into Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, Gaffkya and Sarcina could not be justified, and, as Micrococcus is regarded as an invalid generic name, all acrobic species are placed in the genus Staphylococcus with the type species Staph. aureus Rosenbach. The primary subdivision was made on the coagulase reaction, with secondary subdivisions of the coagulase-negative strains based on the production of acid and acetoin from glucose. The characterization of the subdivisions is presented in a quantitative way.