Klarinet Archive - Posting 000769.txt from 2000/10

From: George Kidder <gkidder@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: Warping Reeds
Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2000 17:13:24 -0400

As a comment from another physiologist: I suspect that it is the bacteria
(and fungi) which live on reeds which have been wet with saliva that are
doing the damage. As Diane states, there seems to be nothing in saliva per
se which would attack anything in a reed (although there are other
components than cellulose in the reed). In my experience, soaking the reed
in 5% hydrogen peroxide (drugstore variety) for a few minutes (while I swab
out the instrument) before putting the reed back in storage seems not only
to eliminate the dreaded black fungus, but to prolong the life of the reed.
(No controlled experiment, it just works for me.) Peroxide might
inactivate salivary enzymes, but it certainly inactivates bacteria and
fungi, and at least gives me the feeling of cleanliness, rightly or not.

At 10:23 AM 10/13/00 -0500, you wrote:
>Sure - chapter and verse is my favorite thing:
>
>When formed, saliva is neutral (or nearly so, during resting periods) or
alkaline (pH ~ 8 during a meal) due to the addition of bicarbonate.
(Ganong, Review of Medical Physiology, p. 467; 1999). The enzyme produced
by the salivary glands include lingual lipase (works on lipids) and
salivary amylase (works on starches).
>
>Salivary amylase breaks the alpha 1,4 linkages connecting the glucose
molecules that make up the starches (ibid, p. 448). Plant material,
particularly the cell wall, is made up of cellulose, which is glucose
linked together in a 1,4 BETA linkage. Salivary amylase CANNOT work on
that and thus will not attack that part of the reed (thus providing us with
the existence of dietary fiber)
>
>As a note: between meals, if you just stick a pH paper on your tongue you
may record an acidic pH: the action of bacteria in the mouth tends to
acidify the mouth. The increased secretion that occurs when you "wet" the
reed should neutralize this pretty quickly.
>
>
>
>Diane R. Karius, Ph.D.
>Department of Physiology
>University of Health Sciences
>1750 Independence Ave.
>Kansas City, MO 64106
>(816)-283-2219
>dkarius@-----.edu
>www.uhsweb.edu/physio
>
>>>> dnietham@-----.edu 10/12/00 11:03PM >>>
>on 10/12/00 12:06 AM, Gary Truesdail wrote:
>
>>Saliva contains minerals and some acids which can dissolve some of the
>>material in the cane.
>
>Just a small point - it is my memory from this list that saliva is *not*
>acidic, but instead neutral. It does not contain any enzymes that would
>break down reed fibers. Can one of the scientists cite chapter and verse?
>
>David
>
>David Niethamer
>Principal Clarinet, Richmond Symphony
>dnietham@-----.edu
>http://members.aol.com/dbnclar1/
>
>
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George Kidder
Bar Harbor, ME

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