Abstract
Summary
It has been observed that the degree of inhibition of tubercle bacilli by subtilin in vitro parallels the degree of growth dispersion of the organisms. In a medium permitting diffuse growth, subtilin was highly active. Conversely, in a medium in which growth was clumped, whether because of omission of Tween or from antagonism of Tween by serum, no significant inhibition of growth by subtilin was demonstrable. When serum from rabbits injected with subtilin was tested against tubercle bacilli in a medium containing sufficient Tween, the observed antituberculous activity paralleled the activity against streptococci and staphylococci. If the amount of Tween added to such tests was insufficient to produce diffuse growth of tubercle bacilli, subtilin activity was greatly diminished or absent.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.