SUMMARY:A modification of the dulcitol‐lactose‐iron medium of Taylor&Silliker (1958) is proposed. It contains sucrose as well as lactose to aid in detecting slow lactose fermenters and gives simultaneously tests for urea hydrolysis and H2S production. The latter reaction is kept apart from the carbohydrate fermentations and the urea hydrolysis. The surface growth can be used in a test for the deamination of phenylalanine to phenylpyruvic a