437 



We have not yet resolved the qnestioii, how the lecithin is broken 

 down; we can only say that as a result of the splitting by the 

 here above mentioned bacteria no henioljsines are formed. We 

 could not find a link between hemolysis by bacteria and lipolysis 

 or lipoidolysis; we found a staphyiocc. which had lost its hemolytic 

 property but not its lipolytic character and on the other hand one 

 of our colistrains behaved hemolytic but was inactive on fat or 

 lecithin, our bac. piscium pyogenes splitted lecithin but had no 

 hemolytic action. 



No fatty acids could be titrated in broth containing splitted lecithin 

 (B. piscium prog.). This result is in agreement with observations 

 on the non-hemolytic action of the splitted lecithin, because if 

 lecithin is splitted in such a manner (hat (unsaturated) fatly acids 

 are formed, a hemolytic action must take place. 



We still want to mention that the power of splitting of the 

 bacteria in the table, has been tried on cholesterol and lanoline, 

 the latter was affected only by a staph, pyog., the former only l)y 

 B. pyocyaneus. 



June 1923. Laboratory of hygiene of the University 



of Amsterdam. 



') One of our proteus strains affected fat. 



