When a number of organisms are exposed in early rapidly multiplying broth cultures to minimally effective bacteriostatic concentrations of a number of antiseptics, almost complete lysis may be demonstrated.
When older cultures are exposed to low concentrations, or young cultures to strong concentrations, lysis does not occur in many cases.
The lytic effect of penicillin is apparently identical with that of the antiseptics tested. The phenomenon appears to depend on the nature of the effect of the antiseptic on metabolic enzymes, autolytic enzymes, or both.