MECHANISM OF DEATH 357 



at all, and n the concentration exponent. The exponent 

 n is found by the equation 



log t2 — log ti 

 log (C2 — a) — log (ci — a) 



which corresponds to the formula used for the endpoint 

 method of disinfection (p. 347) except that a was not 

 considered there. Reichel found for Bad. typhosum 



time . (c - 0.0023)4 = 4.6 X lO'^ 



and for Micr. pyogenes aureus 



time . (c - 0.0045)4 = 45.5 X 10-» 



He came to the conclusion that the bacteria die 

 when a certain phenol concentration is reached inside 

 of the cell. He did not try to really find the fundamen- 

 tal chemical reaction. 



In 1921, Gegenbauer investigated the fundamental 

 reaction of poisoning by bichloride of mercury. His 

 work started as a duplication of Reichel's experiments, 

 but the results soon proved to be quite different. There 

 was a true partition of the bichloride between coagulated 

 serum albumin and water. HgCU is soluble as such 

 in the solidified albumin. This is not an adsorption 

 process. But besides this, part of the mercury salt 

 reacts with the protein, forming an insoluble mercury- 

 proteinate which cannot be washed out. The amount 

 of Hg bound by the albumin is independent of the 

 concentration; this proves it to be a real chemical 

 compound. 



Addition of H2S to a piece of albumin which contains 

 dissolved HgCl2 will precipitate HgS at once. But even 

 in albumin which has been washed for eight to ten days 

 after contact with HgCU, and which contains no more 



