1) Following were newly synthesized: β-Methylmyristic acid, γ-methylpalmitic acid, γ-ethylpentadecoic acid, γ-methyl-γ-myristolactone, γ-methyl-γ-palmitolactone, γ-ethyl-γ-palmitolactone, ε-methyllauric acid, ε-ethyllauric acid, ε-methylmyristic acid and ε-ethylmyristic acid.
2) Growth inhibitory action of 31 kinds of branched-chain and saturated or unsaturated straight-chain fatty acids were tested in vitro against avian type tubercule bacilli and following results were obtained:
a) Maximum antibacterial actions were noticed in myristic acid derivatives with branched side-chains in all substitutions at α, β, γ and ε positions.
b) In saturated, straight-chain fatty acids, lauric, myristic and palmitic acids showed great antibacterial power.
c) In unsaturated, straight-chain fatty acids, linolenic acid gave remarkable results.
d) Lactone compounds listed above also showed somewhat a fair amount of antibacterial action.
