380 EXPERIMENT STATION REOOED, [Vol.35 



The effect of chlorofoiTa on the factors of coagulation, G. R. Minot {Anier. 

 Jour. Physiol., 39 {1915), No. 2, pp. 131-138). — " Antithrombin is rendered in- 

 active by chloroform and ether, thus allowing free thrombin if present in an 

 oxalated plasma to clot fibrinogen. Prothrombin is not converted to thrombin 

 by chloroform. Chloroform can precipitate both fibrinogen and prothrombin 

 from an oxalated plasma. Chloroform does not weaken the action of a solution 

 of pure thrombin. Ether does slightly. Antithrombin could not be recovered 

 from chloroform or ether extracts of serum or plasma, unhealed or heated to 

 60° C, and is not exactly identical to antitrypsin or to Doyon's antithrombin. 

 In one chloroform-poisoned rabbit the antithrombin of the blood was decreased 

 below normal." 



The antiseptic action of substances of the chloramin group, H. D. Dakin, 

 J. B. Cohen, M. Daufeesne, and J. Ken yon (Proc. Roy. Sac. [London], Ser. B, 

 89 (,1916), No. B 614, PP- 232-251; abs. in Brit. Med. Jour., No. 2880 {1916), 

 p. 388). — The results of investigations have led to the following deductions: 



"Almost all of the substances examined containing the NCI group possess very 

 strong germicidal action. The presence in the molecule of more than one NCI 

 group does not confer any marked increase in germicidal power. . . . The 

 germicidal action of many of these chloramin compounds is molecule for 

 molecule greater than that of sodium hypochlorite. Thus p-toluene sodium 

 sulphochloramid with a molecular weight for the crystallized salt of 261.5 is 

 as active as sodium hypochlorite with a molecular weight of 74. Substitution 

 in the nucleus of aromatic chloramins by CI, Br, I, CBU, C^Hb, or NO2 groups 

 does not lead to any very great increase in germicidal activity. More commonly 

 there is a moderate diminution. 



" The chloramin derivatives of naphthalene and other dicyclic compounds of 

 the sulphochloramid type closely resemble the simpler aromatic chloramins in 

 germicidal action. The few bromamins examined show a slightly lower germi- 

 cidal action than the corresponding chloramins, but the sodium sulpho- 

 bromamids are much more active than sodium hypobromite. It is significant that 

 they react much more readily with amino acids and proteins than does sodium 

 hypobromite. Derivatives of proteins prepared by the action of sodium hypo- 

 chlorite and containing NCI groups are strongly germicidal. Blood serum 

 inhibits their germicidal action to much the same extent as it does with sodium 

 hypochlorite or the aromatic chloramins." 



Chloramin, its preparation, properties, and use, H. D. Dakin, J. B. Cohen, 

 and J. Kenyon {Brit. Med. Jour., No. 2874 {1916), pp. 160-162) .—This paper 

 deals with the properties, practical uses, preparation and cost, and mode of 

 action of chloramin. 



Contribution to the study of immunity, F. o'HEEEiiE {Compt. Rend. Acad. 

 Sci. [Paris}, 162 {1916), No. 15, pp. 570-573 ) .—Experimental data submitted 

 indicate that micro-organisms killed by certain essential oils, especially oil of 

 mustard, constitute a reliable vaccine capable of producing an immunity in an 

 animal against a disease to which it is naturally susceptible. The organism 

 used in the experiment reported was Bacillus typhi murium. A single injection 

 of the vaccine was sufficient to confer an immunity which enabled the animal 

 to resist an inoculation of many times the lethal dose of the virulent organism. 



A vaccine was also prepared by killing the micro-organism with quinin hydro- 

 chlorid, but its power to confer immunity was only relative. 



Quantitative tests on the persistence of chemotherapeutic substances in 

 the blood of man and animals, E. Boeckek {Ztschr. Immunitdtsf. u. Expt. 

 Titer., I, Orig., 21, {1915), No. 2, pp. 148-I66).— In the blood of men, rabbits, 

 guinea pigs, and horses, previously injected with salvarsan, a large part of the 

 therapeutic agent was still present after one to two hours, and in the rabbit 



