Studies on Bacterial Viruses: II. Observations on the Mode of Action of Acridines in Inhibiting Lysis of Virus-Infected Bacteria

Several acridine compounds effectively inhibited bacteriophage multiplication in infected suspensions of E. coli.

The antiviral effect of the acridines was counteracted by ribose nucleic acid, suggesting that some cellular mechanism involving nucleic acid or a related substance is essential to virus reproduction.

The processes leading to virus multiplication were more sensitive to disturbances of this mechanism than was the bacterial growth rate.