Klarinet Archive - Posting 000706.txt from 1997/07

From: "Diane Karius, Ph.D." <dikarius@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Reed refrigeration
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 12:55:31 -0400

> I had no idea that there was such a vigorous population of bacteria was at
> work in the cane! Also this may explain what the enzymes are doing as Diane
> Karius indicated that there was nothing in the wood that our enzymes can
> digest. Can Diane try culturing a reed?
>
I can ask my microbiologist friends down the hall if
they can try using reeds of different ages (although I recently got
frustrated and tossed all but two of my reeds so I won't have
any of the really nasty old reeds), but first I'm going to look at
the Casadonte paper/dissertation because if I read the posting
correctly, that's been done (it would be the only way to make the
identification that was listed...) I haven't had a chance to look
the paper/dissertation up. It's on my "to-do" list, but that's a a
*really long* list... .

> Would using an antibacterial agent then also prolong the life of the reed?
> There must be something that is "mouth friendly" like barbasol to combs but
> for reeds instead.
>
For some bacteria, good old hydrogen peroxide will do - other
bacteria have enzymes that cleave the peroxide or otherwise
inactivate it (I don't know if the bacteria sp. that Casadonte
found is one that secretes any of these enzymes - I think it is).
Interesting in light of the fact that peroxide is purported to bring
almost dead reeds back to life for a little bit (although I can
hypothesize lots of factors that might be involved there).

Diane R. Karius, Ph.D.
Department of Physiology
University of Health Sciences
2105 Independence Ave.
Kansas City, MO 64124
email: dikarius@-----.EDU

   
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