294 True and Hunkel, The Poisonoiis Effect Exerled etc. 



ved tlie appearance of numerous, strongly refracting granules in 

 cells of" vSpirogyra. Algae (not designated) are reported by 

 Davenport^) to succumb in a 0,1 per ceut Solution after three 

 days. 



It seemed desirable to try to investigate more closely the 

 action ot phenol, bearing in mind the possible Formation of de- 

 structive ions. Accordingly, a series of experiments was made 

 with Solutions to which an equivalent amount of sodium hydroxide 

 had been added. It is known that phenol unites with sodium 

 and potassium hydroxide to form Compounds, e. g., CeHsOK, in a 

 manner similar to acids. How far this obtains in dilute Solutions 

 is problematical, but many reasons exist for supposing that 

 hydrolytic dissoeiation goes on as rapidly as association. It is 

 advisable to assume that in the Solution of sodium hydroxide plus 

 phenol there exist these two constituents. K a h 1 e n b e r g and 

 True find^) that lupines first grow in Solutions of KOH when 

 they are diluted to one gram-molecule in from 200 to 400 liters, 

 and Na OH has probably the same limit. If we suppose that 



+ - 



phenol does dissociate into H ions and Ce Hs ions, the addition 

 of an alkali would give a salt which would dissociate into 



Ce Hs ions and Na ions. Since Na ions have relatively a weak 

 toxic effect, ^) the diflference between the limit-concentrations for 

 phenol and for phenol plus KOH would be the measure of the 

 action of the H ions. As far as the mixed Solutions of phenols 

 and the hydroxides of the alkali metals are concerned, it should 

 be borne in mind that Avhenever the ratio of dissoeiation is greater 



for the metallic hydroxide than for the phenol, there will be OH 

 ions whose toxic action must not be overlooked. Tables I and II 

 show however the same limit for both substances. Hence the 

 toxic action must be due to the undissociated phenol. Kroenig 

 and Paul*) arrive at the same conclusion from work done with 

 bacteria. These authors find, however, that the sodium phenolate 

 has less marked disinfecting properties than phenol. As will be 

 Seen in Table III, Bader strengthens our conclusion by his 

 study of the electrical conductivity of the phenol Solution, disso- 

 eiation being found to be almost nil. 



In view of Sehe urlen's ^) statement that the addition of 

 NaCl intensifies the antiseptic action of phenol, it was thought 

 desirable to fest the matter with the lupines. Accordingly Solutions 

 containing phenol and NaCl in three different proportions were 



') Daveiiport, Experimental morphoJogie. Part I. 1897. p. 18. 



'-') Kahlen bei- g and True. Bot. Gaz. XXI [. (1896.) p. 95. 



^) That the Na ion is entirely lacking in toxic action in strong Solutions or 

 in weaker Solutions acting for a long time cannot be asserted. 



*) Kroenig und Paul, Die chemischen Grundlagen der Lehre von^ 

 der Giftwirkung und Desinfection. (Zeitschrift für Hygiene und Infections- 

 Krankheiten. Band XXV. 1897. p. 84.) 



*) Scheu rlen, Die Bedeutung des Molecularzustandes der wasser- 

 gelösten Desinfectionsmittel für ihren Wirkungswerth. Strassburg, 1895. 



