A STUDY OF THE FERMENTS AND FERMENT-INHIBITING SUBSTANCES IN TUBERCULOUS CASEOUS MATERIAL

Abstract

1. Caseous matter obtained from lymph glands which have not become secondarily infected contains substances which inhibit enzyme activity. These substances consist chiefly of soaps of the unsaturated fatty acids. 2. The inhibiting substances are present in relatively smaller amounts when the caseous matter has become secondarily infected. This is probably due to the dilution and washing out of the soaps. 3. Ferments are either entirely absent or present in very small amounts, unless the caseous matter has become secondarily infected. 4. Caseous material from the lungs contains smaller amounts of the inhibiting substances. This may be due to the acuteness of the process, which does not permit an accumulation of the soaps, or to the binding of the soaps with the ferments. 5. Ferments are present in caseous pneumonia. In the whole emulsion the ferments are less active in an alkaline than in an acid reaction; but removal of the soaps shows that those active in an alkaline reaction are also present in considerable amounts. 6. The previous treatment with iodin of caseous matter from both lymph glands and lungs increases the action of the trypsin.