A Simple Method of Obtaining Soluble Specific Substances from Various Bacteria (Streptococcus Viridans, B. Dysenteriae and B. Mallei)

Abstract

Chemical and immunological studies to determine the nature of the substances responsible for the specific reactions of a number of microorganisms have been reported recently by several investigators. If the conclusions of Avery and Heidelberger in regard to the pneumococcus should be found to be applicable to other species of bacteria, some problems such as diagnosis of glanders and also the question in regard to the variety of B. dysenteriae may be simplified or solved. As it seemed that studies on such problems have not been reported on account of the difficulties encountered in the method of isolating the specific substance, simpler methods of obtaining this substance in a relatively pure form were sought. After confirming the results of Lancefield on Streptococcus viridans, we have succeeded in isolating a soluble specific substance from the glucose broth culture filtrate of Streptococcus viridans in a simple manner according to a modification of Avery and Heidelberger's method.