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Summary: A taxonomic survey of a wide range of bacteria has been made with the aid of an electrical computing machine. The strains examined fell into five main groups: (1) Gram-positive organisms, including streptococci, micrococci, staphylococci, Aerococcus, Erysipelothrix, Listeria and certain diphtheroids; (2) predominantly Gram-negative organisms, including enterobacteria, pseudomonads Pasteurella, Vibrio, Actinobacillus, Loefflerella, Brucella, Neisseria, Chromobacterium and also Bacillus', (3) Corynebacterium diphtheriae; (4) acid-fast bacilli; (5) spirilla. Within group 1 were subgroups representing Streptococcus, Micrococcus and Staphylococcus. Within group 2 were subgroups representing: (a) most enterobacteria together with Pasteurella pestis and Vibrio; (b) Brucella, Neisseria, Actinobacillus lignieresi, Pasteurella septica and possibly also Shigella; (c) pseudomonads; (d) Bacillus; (e) Chromobacterium violaceum and (f) Proteus. The taxonomy suggested by this study is compared with that in current use. Temporary working type strains of most of the species are suggested for use in surveys of this kind. The limitations of the method and of using old laboratory records are discussed.
Sneath et al. (Mon,) studied this question.