MECHANISM OF DEATH 



363 



clearer conception of the fundamental reaction between 

 poison and cell, but they did not lead to the end. In 

 ReicheFs experiments, death occurred as soon as a certain 

 concentration of phenol was present in the cells. How- 

 ever, since phenol formed no chemical compound with 

 the cell, we still do not know the real cause of death. 



In Gegenbauer's research with HgCU, a chemical 

 compound was formed with protoplasm, and this com- 

 pound prevented multiplication; it could be broken up 

 again by H2S, however, and the cell might be still alive, 

 or might be dead, the one or the other depending upon 

 the time of action and the concentration of disinfectant. 

 The real cause of death is still unknown. 



(/) THE TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT OF POISONING 



The influence of temperature upon the rate of chemical 

 disinfection was first studied by Madsen and Nyman 

 (1907) and by Chick (1908). Most of the latter's 

 data were obtained by the endpoint method. Some 



Table 115. — Temperature Coefficients of Disinfection with 

 Bacterium paratyphosum 



HgCl2:0.1% 



HgCl2:0.01% 



AgNOs: 0.017% 



AgNO3:0.0017% 



25°C. 

 20°C. 

 15^C. 

 10°C. 



5°C. 



0°C. 



3.3 



4.0 



2.6 



5.8 



Qio 



40°C. 



30°C. 



20°C. 



3.3 



3.4 



2.8 



10°C. 



2.7 



0°C. 



40^C. 



3.3 



30°C. 



2.9 



20°C. 



2.3 



10°C. 



40°C. 1 



35°C. 



30°C. 



25°C. 



20°C. 



15°C. 



3.9 



2.4 



2.6 



3.0 



