Actinomycete Disintegration of Raw Wool

Abstract

DURING the course of investigations on bacterial disintegration of raw wool, the presence of Actinomycetes in rotted wool was often noted. These organisms, however, rarely appeared in culture, perhaps because of the prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa the antagonistic effects of which are well known. Eventually Actinomycetes were isolated from nutrient agar cultures of at least one month's growth when these had been left to dry out at room temperature. Under these conditions aerial hyphæ appeared, from which pure cultures of the organisms were obtained.