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The Influence of Glucosides on the Growth of Acid-fast Bacilli, 

 with a New Method of Isolating Human Tubercle Bacilli 

 directly from Tuberculous Material contaminated ivith other \ 

 Micro-organisms. [Preliminary Note.) 



By F. W. Twort. 



(Communicated by Leonard Hill, F.R.S. Received February 18, — Read 



March 4, 1909.) 



This investigation was undertaken to test the action of acid-fast bacilli on 

 the glucosides, and to see how far any fermentation reactions obtained would 

 differ with the various strains of human and bovine tubercle bacilli tested, 

 and also to obtain if possible a better medium on which to isolate and grow 

 tubercle bacilli. In all, 43 glucosides were tested with acid-fast bacilli, 

 including human and bovine tubercle bacilli, but there was no evidence of 

 fermentation with any of the glucosides; 



One glucoside, ericolin, was found to kill off a large number of species of 

 micro-organisms, especially bacilli of the colon group and various cocci, but 

 had very little effect on the acid-fast group of bacilli. 



By means of this glucoside the isolation of tubercle bacilli directly from 

 human sputum contaminated with other organisms becomes quite easy. The 

 glucoside should be made up with distilled water in a 2-per-cent. solution ; a 

 lump of sputum is then placed into a test-tube containing the ericolin and 

 placed at 38° C. for f hour to 1 hour ; sub-cultures are then made on to 

 Dorset's egg medium, and pure growths of tubercle bacilli will be obtained in 

 14—28 days ; the tubes are sometimes contaminated with a few other 

 organisms, chiefly tiny colonies of streptococci and slow-growing colonies of 

 organisms of the streptothrix group, but they are so few that they in no way 

 interfere with the tubercle colonies, which can be easily sub-cultured. 



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