1180 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



" Solubility.— At 20° C. (68° F.) skim milk is saturated by 0.55 per cent of 

 chloroform by volume. Normal milk containing 5 per cent of fat requires an 

 additional 1 per cent of chloroform to produce saturation. 



" Germicidal action. — Skim milk containing 3 per cent of protein requires 0.2 

 per cent by volume of chloroform to destroy the vegetative bacteria gradually 

 and 0.4 per cent to destroy them within 24 hours. In normal milk containing 

 5 per cent of fat, 1 per cent of chloroform destroys the vegetative forms grad- 

 ually, 1.5 per cent destroys them within 24 hours, while 2 per cent accomplishes 

 this result within 4 hours. The spores are not immediately destroyed even 

 with excessive amounts of chloroform. 



•■ In chloroformed cheese the germicidal action is slightly variable and a 

 uniform destruction of the vegetative forms was not obtained with less than 10 

 per cent by weight of chloroform. 



"Action on milk enzyms. — In skim milk, digestion progressed at a imiform 

 rate in the presence of chloroform varying from 0.2 to 0.7 per cent by volume. 

 With increasing percentages of chloroform there was a decrease in the rate of 

 digestion, which in the presence of 2.5 per cent of chloroform amounted to 12 

 per cent of that occurring in the presence of 0.7 per cent of chloroform. In- 

 creasing the percentage of chloroform from 2.5 to 30 per cent did not retard 

 the rate of digestion much more than did 2.5 per cent. 



" Action on milk proteids. — Chloroform above the amounts required to satu- 

 rate the milk settles to the bottom carrying do^^^l a portion of the casein, 

 This is observable as a white, opaque layer." 



Their general conclusion from this work is that " chloroform is a fairly sat- 

 isfactory agent for repressing germ life in connection with the study of milk 

 enzyms. Quantitative studies of the action of such enzyms should receive a 

 correction of at least 10 per cent where 2.5 per cent of chloroform or more is 

 used." 



VETERINARY MEDICINE. 



The disinfectant action of light upon pathogenic bacteria, E. Neumark 

 {Inaiiff. Diss. Unir. Gicsscn, 1901, pit. 70', pi. 1). — The effect of direct and dif- 

 fuse sunlight was tested upon a number of bacteria. It was found that in 

 direct sunlight anthrax spores are killed in 25 to .30 minutes, anthrax bacilli 

 in 20 to 25 minutes, coli bacilli in 60 minutes, hog-cholera bacilli in 2 hours, the 

 bacilli of fowl cholera in 8 to 10 minutes, and the Ijacilli of swine plague in the 

 same length of time. These tests were made with bacteria on agar plates. 

 Diffuse sunlight required a much longer time for the manifestation of disin- 

 fectant action upon bacteria. The organism of swine erysipelas in water was 

 not destroyed by direct sunlight after an exposure of 8 hours. 



It is apparent from these results that direct sunlight possesses a powerful 

 disinfectant action. The susceptibility of different bacteria to sunlight varies 

 greatly, but the results show that it is of great importance in disinfection after 

 the occurrence of contagious diseases. In the author's opinion, light exercises 

 a direct effect upon the bacteria rather than an indirect effect upon the nutrient 

 media. Electric light is much less effective than sunlight. 



Results of investigations in the field of general pathology and patho- 

 logical anatomy of man and animals, O. Lubaesch and R. Ostertag (Erycb. 

 AUfj. Path. Mvnsch. u. Tiere, 11 {1901), pt. 2, pp. XI+1224).— In this volume 

 an elaborate review is given of literature relating to the pathology of the nerv- 

 ous system, reproductive organs, circulatory system, and bones, particularly to 

 Russian and Polish literature along these lines. The other subjects discussed 

 in the volume include the formation of glycogen, thrombosis, tumors, and cellu- 

 lar pathology. 



