Action of a-Hydroxyisobutyric Acid on Micro-Organisms

IN connexion with a recent letter by Lovelock¹ on the use of organic acids, including a-hydroxyisobutyric acid, as aerial bactericides, some other observations on the properties of the latter acid may be of interest. Its non-assimilability by moulds has already been noted², as well as its application to the preparation of buffers which resist the action of moulds³.