HYDROGEN ION CONCENTRATION OF CULTURES OF PNEUMOCOCCI OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES IN CARBOHYDRATE MEDIA

Abstract

1. The optimum hydrogen ion concentration for growth of pneumococcus is pH 7.8. 2. In broth cultures growth of pneumococcus continues until a final hydrogen ion concentration of about pH 5.0 is reached, if sufficient fermentable carbohydrate' (above 0.4 per cent) is present. Apparently this acidity is sufficient in itself to stop growth. 3. If less carbohydrate is present in the medium growth ceases at a lower hydrogen ion concentration, apparently because of exhaustion of carbohydrate. If no carbohydrate is present save that extracted from the meat of which the broth is made (plain broth medium), growth initiated at pH 7.8 (optimum reaction) ceases at about pH 7.0. 4. If bacteria-free filtrates of plain broth cultures in which growth has ceased are readjusted to pH 7.8 and reinoculated with pneumococcus, no growth occurs unless carbohydrate is added. However, if bacteria-free filtrates of dextrose broth cultures in which growth has ceased (pH 5) are readjusted to pH 7.8 and reinoculated with pneumococcus growth occurs. 5. Cultures of pneumococcus with all the carbohydrates which were fermentable under the conditions used, namely maltose, saccharose, lactose, galactose, raffinose, dextrose, and inulin, gave identical results in the rate of reaction change, and final hydrogen ion concentration (pH 5.0) attained. 6. The different immunological types of pneumococcus, for the limited number of strains studied, behaved alike in fermenting the carbohydrates mentioned above.