On Chemical Disinfectants, 381 



paper, it is proved that those soHd contents are totally destitute 

 in themselves of the valuable disinfecting and decolouring pro- 

 perties belonging to the liquid, and of which the persons making 

 the demand are in search. Nay, it is a fact, that since the 

 notice which has been taken in this country of Labarraque's 

 liquid, through the public journals, a person has actually for- 

 warded to London the pretended chloride of oxide of sodium 

 in a diy state, so cheap as to undersell the metropolitan che- 

 mists ; and that certain medical students, and others who used 

 it, in full expectation of witnessing the striking and immediate 

 results belonging to Labarraque's liquid were sorely mortified 

 at the failure which attended their trials, and actually insist 

 on proclaiming that gentleman's discovery to be an imposition. 



This was to be expected, as the free chlorine contained in 

 the liquid is the only disinfecting principle belonging to it, 

 as has been already stated in the course of this paper. But, 

 in order that the Society may judge with what justice it has 

 been so asserted, I may probably be permitted to relate, shortly, 

 two, out of several, comparative experiments which I instituted 

 in order to prove that fact ; and with them I shall conclude 

 my present communication. 



Some portions of muscles, and a quantity of membranes, 

 were placed (July 26, 1826) in water, and under circumstances 

 the most favourable for putrefaction. In a few days, the smell 

 emitted from the deep jar into which they had been put was 

 so strong that it was perceived long before entering the room. 

 On stirring the water, the stench became insupportable, and 

 the whole room was so soon and so thoroughly impregnated 

 with it, that it was scarcely tenantable. I took out some of 

 the muscles and membranes, which I found in an advanced 

 state of putrefaction. I plunged them into some of the disin- 

 fecting liquid of soda diluted with four times its bulk of water, 

 when they instantly lost their offensive smell, and, when applied 

 close to the nostrils, gave out merely the odour of chlorine in a 

 faint degree, and that of sound animal fat. 



A second portion of the putrid muscles was similarly treated 

 with a watery solution of the solid contents of the disinfecting 

 liquid obtained by evaporation ; but no change took place, and 

 the putrid smell continued undiminished. Two measures of 



