A simply constructed dilatometer or volumeter was used to measure small volume changes (ca. 6 × 10−4 ml per milliliter) accompanying growth of Streptococcus faecalis cultures. Polymerization reactions involved in cell synthesis appeared to contribute little to the observed changes, and dilatation of cultures in glucose-containing media could be interpreted mainly in terms of volume changes associated with cleavage of glucose to lactic acid, ionization of lactic acid, and protonation of buffer ions in the culture. Glycolysis in suspensions of nongrowing cells was accompanied by similar increases in volume. In contrast, arginine degradation by S. faecalis was accompanied by contraction, and in this case the volume change could be almost completely accounted for by differences in partial molar volumes of products and reactants. Possible relationships between metabolic volume changes and pressure sensitivity of bacteria are discussed.