1T2 TOXINES AND ANTITOXINS^ 



successful in producing it in urine rendered faintly alkaline, and 

 his results were confirmed by USCHINSKY ; to this we shall 

 return shortly. 



The choice of the culture medium is of great importance, 

 particularly as regards the reaction. In ordinary bouillon the 

 reaction is at first faintly alkaline, then becomes faintly acid, and 

 then, finally, alkaline again. During the period of the acid 

 reaction the production of poison is considerably checked or 

 entirely suspended. Hence, means were sought to restrain this 

 injurious acidification. Even the above-mentioned addition of 

 2 per cent, of peptone effects some improvement, but, by itself, is 

 insufficient. 



PARK and WILLIAMS l adopted the simple device of increasing 

 the alkalinity of the 2 to 4 per cent, peptone bouillon by the 

 addition of a measured quantity of soda solution. They exactly 

 neutralised their fresh bouillon (with turmeric paper as indi- 

 cator), and then added to each litre 7 c.c. of normal soda solution, 

 the mixture still showing an acid reaction with phenol-phthalein. 

 They found, in agreement with SpRONCK 2 and VAN TuiiENHOUT, 3 

 that the acidification was due to the presence of glucose and 

 glycerin in flesh that was too fresh, and therefore concluded that 

 horseflesh (which is rich in glycogen) should not be used ; whilst 

 SPRONCK advocated the employment of slightly decomposed flesh. 

 By the artificial addition of glucose he was able to restrict the 

 production of the toxine. This was in accord with the results 

 obtained by BLUMENTHAL, 4 who also found that no toxine was 

 formed in culture media containing sugar when the proportion 

 of the latter reached more than 1 per cent. Moreover, he could 

 obtain no toxine from solutions of pure egg albumin or pure 

 peptone. On the other hand, SMITH 5 regards the presence of 

 a slight amount of glucose (0'2 per cent.) as essential, and con- 

 siders that it is only necessary to prevent the injurious acidifica- 

 tion, in which respect he supports KUETE, G who effects this 



1 Park and Williams, "The production of diphtheria toxine," J. Exper. 

 Med., i., 164, 1896. 



2 Spronck, "Sur les conditions, dont depend la production d. poisons 

 dans les cultures diphte"riques," Ann. Past., ix., 759, 1895. 



3 Van Turenhout, "Over de bereiding van diphtheriegif," Utrecht, 

 Abst., Centralbl.f. BaU., xviii., 295, 1895. 



4 Blumenthal, " Ueb. d. moglichk. d. Bildg. von Diphtherietoxin aus 

 Eiweisskorpern und auf Zucker enthaltenden Nahrboden," Deutsch. med. 

 Woch., 1897, No. 24. 



5 Smith, "The Relation of Dextrose to the Production of Toxine," /. of 

 Exper. Med., iv., 373, 1899. 



6 Ruete, "Ueb. Herstellg. d. Di.-Heilserums," MiiJich. med. Woch., 

 1897, 213. 



