Abstract
Conclusions
BAL (2:3-dimercaptopropanol), administered to rats with polyarthritis produced by infection with L-4 strain of pleuropneumonia-like microorganism, causes a significant increase in incidence of arthritis, a more extensive type of joint involvement, and a slightly decreased rate of survival. Concentrations of BAL up to 0.2 mg per cc of broth failed to inhibit or to increase the growth of pleuropneumonia-like organisms in vitro. It is suggested that BAL in the low concentrations used in vivo may act by furnishing sulfhydryl groups needed in the metabolism of the microorganisms, and thus aggravate the polyarthritis, rather than by poisoning by animals and thus reducing their resistance to the infection.
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