142 



H. J. CORPER AND H. C. SWEANY 



This experiment indicates that there is an enzyme in tubercle 

 bacilU capable of splitting off into simple form the amino acid 

 building stones of the bacillary bodies. 



Summary. The evidence obtained as to the action of the 

 enzymes of the tubercle bacilli (autolysate) upon casein in alka- 

 line solution and upon the bacillary bodies themselves in alkaline 

 solution seem to indicate that this micro-organism possesses a 

 proteolytic ehzyme resembling trypsin in action. 



Series II. Proteolytic enzyme acting in acid solution (pepsin-like 



enzyme) 



Experiment I. By its presence in the autolysate. The nephelo- 

 metric method in which edestin was used was not found to be 

 serviceable for this purpose since physiological salt solution 

 partially precipitated the edestin, and if distilled water was 

 used as a solvent and for preparing the autolysate substances 

 producing a turbidity were obtained from the tubercle bacilli. 



Experiment II. By the non-coagulable nitrogen liberated in 

 acid solution. The differences obtained in the non-coagulable 

 nitrogen figures by the Folin micro-method, colorimetrically, 

 were not sufficient to warrant drawing any conclusions. 



Experiment III. By the amino acids liberated in acid solution. 

 When using suspensions of bacilli (2 cc. bacillary sediment), 

 killed by toluene (2 cc.) and chloroform (1 cc.) the solution 

 being made 0.2 per cent acid with hydrochloric acid and tested at 

 definite intervals as in series I, experiment III, for amino acid 

 a nitrogen liberated, the results obtained were as follows : 



