Toxicity of elemental sulfur for brucellae.

In previous reports we have described the toxicity of certain peptones and amino acids, particularly cystine, for brucellae (Schuhardt, Rode, Foster, and Oglesby, 1949; Schuhardt, Rode, and Oglesby, 1949). Subsequently, we found and reported that cystine per se is not toxic for these organims, and proved that the observed toxicity of autoclaved cystine is due to a heat-induced breakdown product of cystine (Schuhardt, Rode, Oglesby, and Lankford, 1950). This report deals with the results of experiments designed to determine the nature of this toxic breakdown product of cytine.