CENTRAL : TORONTO
360 CHRISTIE STREET

REGIONAL

FORT WILLIAM
KENORA
KINGSTON
KIRKLAND LAKE
LONDON

NORTH BAY
OTTAWA

 

ONTARIO

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

PETERBOROUGH
SAULT STE. MARIE
TIMMINS
WINDSOR

ASSOCIATED
BELLEVILLE
KITCHENER
ST. CATHARINES
STRATFORD
WOODSTOCK

DIVISION OF LABORATORIES

Central Laboratory
Division of Laboratories,
360 Christie St.,
Toronto, Ontario.,
January 12, 1953.

Dr. Joshua Lederberg,

Associate Professor of Genetics
College of Agriculture,

The University of Wisconsin,
Madison, 6, Wisconsin.

Dear Dr. Lederberg j=

Since 1945 soluble starch agar as described by us in the Journal of
Bacteriology in 1946, has been in constant use in these Laboratories for conditioning
Salmonella cultures. In that period of time no culture has failed to respond, -
either stock strains or those submitted for identification. Cultures exhibiting
varying degrees of roughness have been encountered. From those that had all the R.
characteristics to those that appeared smooth and were stable in broth and saline
but failed to agglutinate in smooth O antiserum. From all these it has been possible
to obtain a smooth "0" antigen. It is absolutely essential that the media be freshly
prepared. This medium has been used successfully both by ourselves and by J.M.
Desranleau in the preparation of Vi antigen. The Vi 1 strain tends to degrade to the
rough state very readily.

In answer to your question as to whether our results have been repeated
in other Laboratories, I would refer you to the following papers:

W.R. Hinshaw and Ethel McNeil, Dept. Vet. Se., University California,
David, Cal. Lizards as carriers of Salmonella and paracolon bacteria.
J. Bact. Vol. 53 No. 6, June 1947.

Maurrice Saint - Martin and Jean - Mare Desranleau. Div. of Labs.,
Quebec Min. of Health, Montreal, Canada. Results obtained with a glycerolated
Vi antigen in the detection of chronic typhoid carriers. Amn. J. Pub. Healt, Vol.
41 No. 6, June LYSOL.

Included herewith is a reprint of our paper.

Yours sincerely,

a ie
LATEA ln SLOSS > FA
Vera MW. Crossley ;
Bacteriologist - in - charge.
VC/MLG Enteric Bacteriology.