[The "protective acid coat" of the skin of our domestic animals].

The study reviews and discusses functional aspects of the so-called "acid mantle" of the integumentum commune of domesticated mammals and birds. The problems referred to are closely related to the skin surface-pH and different factors influencing this phenomenon (chemical composition of the skin surface film, secretory activity of apocrine tubular glands, structure of the microflora, lack of skin glands in birds). It becomes evident, that an "acid mantle" of the skin of domesticated animals cannot be verified, and that normal skin-pH (medium values weakly acid to alkaline) exerts no microbicidal effects. Integumental antimicrobial properties may rather be connected with free fatty acids as decomposition products of skin lipids.