∗ A Comparison of the Resistance of Bacteria and Embryonic Tissue to Germicidal Substances. I. Merthiolate

Lambert 1 , 2 bathed fragments of human tissues in a dilute broth culture of Staphylococcus aureus for a few minutes and then in dilutions of the germicides for one hour. The tissue fragments were then washed in physiological salt solution, embedded in plasma and examined for growth of bacteria and tissue after several days of incubation. The chemicals included alcohol, iodine, argyrol, mercuric chloride, potassium mercuric iodide, potassium cyanide, hypochlorites, phenol, tri-cresol and hydrogen peroxide. He found that human connective tissue cells and histiocytes, were, in general, more easily killed than Staphylococcus aureus. Of the compounds tested iodine approached most closely the theoretically perfect disinfectant, killing bacteria in strengths that did not seriously injure human tissue cells.

In a later communication Lambert and Meyer 3 modified the above procedure. Rabbit spleen was used instead of human tissue. Also, the tissue fragments were bathed in a culture of Staphylococcus aureus for one minute followed by 20-minute exposures to the dilutions of the germicides, before being embedded in plasma. The chemicals tested included alcohol, iodine, mercuric chloride, mercurochrome, acriflavine, protargol, albargin, gentian violet, neosal-varsan and hexylresorcinol. Iodine was again found to approach nearer the theoretically perfect disinfectant. It is possible that in the favorable cultures the cells may have come from the center of the explant where they were partially protected. In another series the chemicals were added directly to the culture medium. Lambert and Meyer arrived at the same conclusions as in the first series.

German 4 bathed fragments of chick tissues in broth cultures of Streptococcus hemolyticus, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus coli, after which they were transferred to the antiseptic solutions. After periods of one and 5 minutes they were planted on agar plates.