STUDIES ON THE OXIDATION AND REDUCTION OF IMMUNOLOGICAL SUBSTANCES : II. THE HEMOTOXIN OF THE WELCH BACILLUS.

A study has been made of the oxidation and reduction of the hemotoxin of the Welch bacillus. The oxidation of the lysin results in the loss of its hemolytic activity. The "inactive" oxidation product of the Welch lysin may be reversed to the "active" lysin by treatment with biological or chemical reducing agents. The lysin, both in its reduced and oxidized form, is irreversibly inactivated by the same heat treatment. The pH of the system is an important factor in the oxidation of the lysin, the process proceeding much more rapidly at a pH above 7.0.