Anaerobic digestion as known by the sanitary engineer is a unique and hardy process and has proved to be a powerful tool in the stabilization of strong organic wastes. Practically any type of organic matter can be decomposed to methane and carbon dioxide as the principal end products with very little in the way of toxic by-products being produced. The conversion of simple organic compounds to methane and carbon dioxide by the methane bacteria is a vital key to the successful operation of the process. Unsatisfactory digestion has usually been attributed to failure of the methane bacteria to process the simple organic compounds. The anaerobic process is studied and determine the growth requirements and synthesis relationships is studied in order to more fully utilize the excellent potentialities of anaerobic digestion as an organic waste treatment method and also to place process design on a stronger scientific basis.