1 84 SURFACE TENSION OF THE MENSTRUUM 



bacillus. The ether-acetone extract of such a culture represented 39.9 per cent of the 

 weight of the dry matter of the organisms, as compared with 7 per cent for the control 

 culture, which was grown on broth without glycerol. Sera prepared against these 

 two strains agglutinated the normal strain of staphylococcus in about two hours, while 

 only 30 per cent, by actual count, of the "fat" strain was agglutinated after thirty 

 hours' incubation. 



The data available are not yet sufficient to permit final conclusions as to the 

 mechanism involved, yet in view of our conception of the mechanism of pellicle for- 

 mation the thought suggests itself that the attraction between the antibody and the 

 water molecule may be greater than between antibody and micro-organism. In other 

 words, if water will not wet the surface of the micro-organism rich in fat or related 

 substances, the antibodies which are dissolved or suspended in water, for which they 

 have greater attraction, cannot come in sufficiently intimate contact with the bacteria 

 to be adsorbed. 



The writer is of the belief that by the choice of suitable surface-tension depres- 

 sants the wetting of bacteria by specific antibodies may be enhanced. 



EFFECT OF SOAPS ON TOXINS 



Studies have been conducted in our laboratory on the effect of surface-tension 

 depressants on various toxins.' Many bacterial toxins, snake venoms,^ and indeed 

 some of the vegetable toxins are instantly detoxified by soluble soaps, particularly 

 the soaps of the unsaturated fatty acids. Although this work was begun by studying 

 the results from the standpoint of a surface-tension phenomenon, it soon became 

 evident that factors other than the surface tension of the menstrua must be con- 

 sidered. Indeed, some soaps, especially those of the fatty acids of the odd-numbered 

 carbon chain, which have a marked effect in lowering the surface tension, have very 

 little detoxifying action on toxins. The soaps of the saturated fatty acids are far 

 inferior to those of the unsaturated series as detoxifying agents. The double bond of 

 the carbon atom apparently plays a role in this reaction, although, as will be pointed 

 out later, the reaction cannot be regarded as a true chemical union. 



Diphtheritic, tetanic, streptococcic, and other toxins are instantly rendered non- 

 toxic when mixed with proper amounts of a soap such as sodium ricinoleate. 



Soap does not affect all toxins in the same manner, however. While diphtheritic, 

 tetanic, and streptococcic toxins and some of the snake venoms are detoxified by the 

 soaps of the unsaturated fatty acids, other toxins are activated by these soaps. 

 Botulinum toxin, for example, is rendered more toxic when treated with soap. Green 

 and Stoesser' have recently shown that the toxicity of a poisonous mushroom — 

 Amanita phaUoides — is increased many fold by treatment with sodium ricinoleate. So 

 active is this soap upon the Amanita toxin that its effect is apparent in the animal 

 body when injected as much as seventy-two hours in advance of the toxin. This ob- 

 servation will no doubt stimulate further investigation in the field of toxicology. 



Superficial examination suggests that toxins which are not detoxified by soaps 



' Larson, W. P., and Nelson, E. N.: Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol, and Med., 21, 27S. 1924. 



" Carmichael, E. B.: Jour. Phann. b" Exp. Therap., 31, 445. 1927. 



3 Green, R., and Stoessner, A. V.: Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol, and Med., 24, 913. 1927. 



