The antibacterial action of citrus peel oil on the tubercle bacillus in vitro.

Citrus oil is a clear volatile oil with a pleasant pungent odor. The material furnished for these experiments was extracted from citrus peel and is double distilled. Citrus peel oil mixed with dehydrated gum turpentine in the proportions of 80 per cent and 20 per cent respectively, has been used commercially as a deodorant and an insect repellant. Because of its penetrating properties citrus oil has also been used as a carrier of coloring material for coloring citrus fruit and as a carrier of paraffin oil to prevent drying and shrinkage of citrus fruit. It has been reported to us that in recent months individuals handling the citrus oil mixtures found that infected skin wounds and fungus infections of the skin responded well therapeutically when the mixtures were applied to the lesions. Because of these effects we became interested in testing the citrus oil-turpentine mixture and the citrus oil and turpentine separately for their possible bactericidal and fungicidal action.