RY R. GREIG-SMITH. 



683 



cidal action, as will be seen on p.686. Ether behaved like 

 chloroform in dissolving no toxin, and since these two disin- 

 fectants have no solvent action, we are probably justified in 

 concluding that other fat-solvents are similarly inactive. 



The solvents, furthermore, have apparently no antitoxic or 

 destructive action upon the toxin, if we judge by the behaviour 

 of the soil-extracts after treatment of the soil with chloroform 

 and with ether. Two soils were tested, and the results are 

 shown in the following tables : — 



Experiment ii. 



Garden-soil 200 gr. : 200 c.c. : 1 hr. 



1,000 bacteria became 



Aqueous extract after treatment with chloroform 



The same extract heated 



Saline extract of the soil-residue from above 



The same heated 



Experiment iii. 

 Hawkesbury soil No.4. 100 gr. : 200 c.c. : 1 hr. 







3,850 



23 



6,300,000 



Aqueous extract after treatment with chloroform 



Aqueous extract after treatment with ether 



Aqueous extract without previous treat7nent 



Aqueous control (no soil) 



1,000 bacteria became 











i?00 



7,600 



Experiment iv. 



