Abstract
The influence of Benzalkonium chloride, an invert soap, on the permeability through cell membrane of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was examined with the use of radioactive P32, together with its correlation to the respiration inhibition. It was found that, at a concentration inhibiting respiration, sudden outflow of the intracelluar fluid and complete inhibition of the dispersion of the phosphate in external medium into bacterial cells were effected. The facts indicated that there was a close relationship between the bactericidal mechanism of this invert soap and the functional change of the cell membrane and respiration inhibition.
