Physiolgical Observations upon a Larval Eustrongylides. X. The Lethal Mechanism of Bacteria

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Abstract
Larval E. ignotus die in a few days if kept in a proteose-peptone medium inoculated with Bacillus subtilis or Escheri-chia coli. Sterile filtrates of B. subtilis cultures (7-9 days growth) killed 100% of the worms in <24 hrs. This toxicity is exclusively due to production of NH3 by the bacteria; the worms are extremely sensitive to the ammonia ion. A cone, of slightly over 20 mg. % is invariably lethal. Bacterial toxins and subtilin had no influence on the survival of the worms in vitro. Various amines were also tested; only meth-ylamine and trimethylamine were markedly toxic.