The Antibacterial Action of Tetrachlorsalicylanilide

SUMMARY: Tetrachlorsalicylanilide (TCS) is a skin germicide which is bacteriostatic for Gram-positive bacteria at low concentrations and bactericidal at high concentrations; both activities are dependent on inoculum size and are not specific to a particular growth phase. Glucose oxidation by Staphylococcus aureus was inhibited at TCS1 μg./ml. whereas 20 μg./ml. was required to inhibit glucose fermentation. S. aureus treated with TCS which released amino acids did not accumulate 14C-labelled 1-glutamic acid, 1-lysine, 1-aspartic acid or sodium succinate. Inhibition by TCS of these processes as well as bacteriostasis was annulled by subsequent treatment with normal horse serum.