The Sterilization of American Foulbrood Combs 



1). Cultures from 54 open cells showed no growth of Bucillm 

 larvae^ whereas 5 culture tubes were contaminated. Cultures from 

 45 sealed cells showed no growth of B. larvae, 2 culture tubes were 

 contaminated, 11 showed good gr0\^th of B. larvae, and 1 showed 

 only a few spores germinated, or 12 positive cultures in all. In 

 brief, of the sealed cells 20.3 per cent were not sterilized. 



Table 1. — Cultural results of various tests loith samples of comb treated 48 

 hours in water-soap-formaMn solution 



' Few spares germinated. 



' Cottonseed^U soap. 



• One showed few spores germinated. 



•Used entire brood combs in tank. 



■ Sealed cells with cappings perforated compared with open cells. 



In the case of the solutions of hard toilet soap in 20 per cent 

 formalin, 39 open and 39 sealed cells were cultured. Cultures from 

 38 open cells showed no growth, and the culture from 1 was contam- 

 inated. From the sealed cells, 22 cultures showed no growth^ 1 

 was contaminated, 13 showed good growths of Bacillus larvae, and 

 in 3 only a few spores had germinated; in all, there were 16 posi- 

 tive cultures, showing that 41 per cent of the sealed cells were not 

 sterilized. The variation in the quantity of soap added to the 

 solution seemed to have little effect on the variable penetration 

 and sterilization of the scales in sealed cells, but the hard-soap 

 solutions appeared somewhat less efficient than the solutions of 

 soft soap. 



Three short series (see bottom of Table 1) were tried, using 

 smaller quantities of formalin, but these solutions proved inefficient 

 as germicides in open as well as in sealed ceUs. 

 21137°— 26 2 



