Studies of the Effect of Sodium Azide on Microbic Growth and Respiration: IV. The Effect of Sodium Azide on Glucose Fermentation and Lactic Acid Production by Streptococci and Lactobacilli.

A study of t'.e effects of sodium azide on the gas metabolism of Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa under aerobic conditions has been described (Lichstenm and Soule, 1944c). It was shown that the chemical exerted an inhibitory effect on the oxygen consumption of these bacteria, and the respiratory quQtients obtained suggested that the organisms were respiring anaerobically. The fac. that P. aeruginosa is able to grow readily in the absence of free oxygen, while B. subtilis is more strongly aerobic, may explain the differences in susceptibility of these two species of germs to the chemical. Since certain strains of streptococci, and lactobacilli are markedly resistant to the action of sodium azide using growth in the presence of the chemical as an index (Lichstein and Soule, 1944a), it appeared desirable to investigate the action of sodium azide on the metabolism of representative members of this genus.