M. MATERIA MEDICA, THEKAPEUTICS, AND HYGIENE. 571 



mouthed pint bottle, and suspending over it, by a thread, a 

 piece of sound meat. In this case, again, the meat became 

 putrid in from four to twenty-five days, excepting in the case 

 of the acids just mentioned, over which the flesh remained 

 untainted, but dried up quite hard. Chloralum, which has 

 been much praised lately as an antiseptic, was found to be 

 below the average as a preservative. 1 A^ December 9, 281. 



CARBOLIC ACID IN TANNING. 



The use of carbolic acid in the process of tanning, for the 

 purpose of preventing putrefaction, especially during the sum- 

 mer season, has been announced, and we learn from the de- 

 tailed specification of the patentee, Mr. Baudet, that from five 

 to ten grains of carbolic acid to one quart of the tanning 

 liquid will secure perfectly the desired object. Should the 

 hides have already commenced to putrefy, auy farther action 

 can be arrested by agitating them in water containing from 

 twenty to thirty grains of carbolic acid to the quart of water, 

 and retaining them there for some time. Dried leather, un- 

 der the same patent, is to be moistened with water contain- 

 ing carbolic acid before stretching, while in the manufacture 

 of chamois leather the fat used for lubricating it is to be 

 mixed with 'from .004 to .007 parts of carbolic acid. Oil 

 leather that is, leather which has been dyed black on the 

 flesh side, the hair side of which has not been scraped off, is 

 also tanned by immersing the skins in a solution containing 

 one per cent, of carbolic acid, or exposing them in boxes to 

 the vapors of the acid. It is claimed also that furs may be 

 protected from moths by a similar treatment. The applica- 

 tion of carbolic acid not only prevents putrefaction, but also 

 the formation of mould a matter of much importance. When 

 used in the manufacture of gold-bronzed leather, it also pre- 

 vents the appearance of the dark red or dull black coloration 

 of the bronze by destroying, the ferments which tend to pro- 

 duce this effect. 17 A, February 1, 27. 



CARBOLIC ACID PAPER. 



Carbolic acid paper, which is now much used for packing 

 fresh meats for the purpose of preserving them against spoil- 

 ing, is made by melting five parts of stearine at a gentle 

 heat, and then stirring in thoroughly two parts of carbolic 



