Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-12-14
True DIsinfeceauts.


ployed to-day In certain solution
when it does not possess any valne what
ever under the circumstances. III il is
really our intention 10 disinfect woundP
we must be certain, at least, that we
will achieve our object with the remedy
we use; ii such il not the case, we only
irritate without doing good. The I'm
perial Board of Health in Berlin has
published a number OF experiments
which have been made by DIR. R. Koch,
with the view OF establishing the real
value of many so-calleddisinfectants. It
would lead us too far to give the whole
procedure employed to ascertain the
facts mentioned, and we will, therefore
coufne ourselves to giving the more inn
portant results of the Investigations of
this celebrated physician. Most sur
geons have been satisfied TO wash their
hands and clean their instruments with
two per cent solution of carbolic acid.
Such a solution is almost inert, and
FIVE per cent solution is necessary to
achieve the desired objects. But what
is the most interesting is the fact that
carbolic acid dissolved III oil or water
prove itself totally inert. What do our
surgeons who still make use of so called
carbolized oil say to that Koch found
that carbolic acid, when dissolved in oil
or in alcohol, had not the slightest in
fuence on the vitality of any of the
micrococci or bacilli Concerning sui
phurous acid, it was found to be power
less against spores bacilli and mocro-
cocci, when exposed to the fumes In
box, were killed within twenty minutes,
but We're very little influenced, or not
at all, when exposed to the fumes in
room mt the usual temperature.
Chloride of zinc showed itself lust as
harmless. A five per cent solution ex-
erted absolutely no influence on the
spores OF anthrax, Notwithstanding the
same has been exposed to the action OF
the remedy for period of thirty days.
Of other drugs, the spores of the bacilli
were killed by chlorine water, fresh pre-
pared; two per cent bromine water, one
per cent aqueous solution of perman-
ganate OF potassium, one per cent osmic
acid, within one day; formic acid, four
days; oil. terebinth, five days; solution
of chloride of iron, four days; one per
cent arsenious acid, one per cent
qulnine (water with muriatic acid), two
per cent muriatic acid within ten
days; ether within thirty days. Inert
or possessing very little influence: dis
titled water, alcohol, glycerine, oil, sui
phur-carbon, chloroform, benzol, petro-
leum-ether, ammonia, concentrated soIu-
ton of common salt, bromide and iodide
of potassium, one per cent; sulphuric
acid. sulPhate of zinc and copper alum,
one per cent; permanof potash, chronic
acid, tue ohromates and bichromates,
chlorate OF potash, fve per cent; acetic
acid, five per cent; tannic acid, five per
cent; beDzoate of sodium, five per cent;
quinine two per cent in water 40, alco-
hol 60), iodine Zone per cent in alcohol),
thymol Give per cent in alcohoI, sail.
cylic acid Give per cent in alcohol, two
per cont in oiD.
But as, for purposes of disinfection,
the microorganism must be killed, and
in the shortest possible period. and the
effect of retarding the development of
the spores (autiseptic) is not sufficient,
only the following remedies can, ac-
cording to Koch's experiments, be said
to be of value; corrosives ultimate, chic
rine, bromine iodine. Bromine in form |
Of vapor Is, as concerns rapidity Of ac-
ton, superior TO chlorine and iodine,
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