538 



NOTE ON THE DESTRUCTION OF PARAFFIN BY 

 BAG. PRODIGIOSUS AND SOIL-ORGANISMS. 



By R. Greig-Smith, D.Sc, Macleay Bacteriologist to the 



Society. 



In an earlier research, in which dried blood had been saturated 

 with paraffin or vaseline, and subsequently fermented, it was 

 found that the treatment did not prevent the blood from being 

 attacked by soil- bacteria, or by a pure culture of Bac. prodigiosus. 

 This was not expected, as it was believed that the inert hydro- 

 carbon would offer a barrier to the attack of the bacterial enzymes. 

 The failure was possibly due to the organic matter swelling upon 

 being moistened, and thus breaking the paraffin-covering, but, 

 that some other action was possible, was suggested by the 

 behaviour of the fermented blood when shaken up with water, 

 as compared with the fermented controls. 



It has recently been shown that certain bacteria and moulds 

 are capable of utilising both solid and liquid hydrocarbons,* and 

 an experiment was undertaken to see if there might be a similar 

 utihsation by Bac. prodigiosus. 



Sifted dried blood was saturated with paraffin, and the excess 

 removed as completely as possible. The paraffined blood was 

 again sifted and thoroughly mixed. Two-gram portions were 

 mixed with 50 grams of sand and moistened with a suspension 

 of Bac. prodigiosus. The tests were kept at the temperature of 

 the laboratory for varying periods, then dried and extracted with 

 ether. 



Control 



Fermented for 10 days 



Fermented for 17 days 

 Fermented for 57 days 



Rahu, Centrlbl. f.Bakt. 2te Abt.l6, 362; and Sohngen, ibid. 37, 695. 



