Abstract
Since the observations reported by me, two years ago, on the effect of gentian violet on bacteria, studies have been carried on to extend these observations into the field of enzymes, toxines and ultra-microscopic infections. The original purpose of these experiments was to offer a new method of studying ultra-microscopic infections and to see if it might not be possible, by adding a dye to an infectious agent, to stain and thus to kill organisms too small to be seen. Experiments of a similar nature are now under way in this laboratory with inoculable tumors.
The following groups of active agents have thus far been studied:
1. Organized ferments (yeast). Yeast cells when stained with gentian violet lose entirely their power of fermenting sugar.
2. Unorganized ferments. (a) Ptyalin (salivary diastase). This ferment when stained with gentian violet is quite as active as the unstained controls. (b) Pepsin. The activity of this enzyme was estimated by its action on wedges of egg albumen. It was found to be unaffected by the dye. (c) Trypsin. The dye was also without effect on this enzyme. (d) Rennin. The power of the enzyme to clot milk was entirely uninfluenced, even by prolonged and deep staining with gentian violet. (e) Thrombin. With this enzyme (kindly furnished by Prof. Howell) the results though not quite so convincing as with (a), (b), (c) and (d), were in general similar. Gentian violet staining does not destroy the power of the enzyme to clot blood plasma, though if present in large quantities the dye may hinder clotting somewhat.
In a word the organized ferment (yeast) is “kdled” by staining with gentian violet; the unorganized ferments are ztnaffected.
3. Toxines. The toxines of tetanus and diphtheria were studied.
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