102 On Disinfectants. 



by side in a room, tlie temperature of wliicli was 53° Falir. on tlie 27th 

 of December. 



The contents of the beakers were examined from time to time. 



1 . Beef covered with Water only. 



On the 1st of January, 1866, the meat in experiment No. 1 began 

 to smell badly, and on the following day it gave off a horrible stench. 

 On the 3rd of January abundance of gas-bubbles were given off from 

 the putrefying meat, and sulphuretted hydrogen was readily detected 

 with lead-j^aper in the gases generated from the rotten beef. 



The temperature of the room during this period ranged between 

 53° and 58= Fahr. 



2. Beef immersed in a solution of 1 ^mrt of Carholic Acid in 1000 

 of Water. 



On the 3rd of January the meat was still quite soimd. It remained 

 so until the 8th of January, when a fungus began to be formed on the 

 surface of the liquid in which it was immersed, and a few gas-bubbles 

 were also observed to rise from the meat. 



On further examination I found that fermentation had set in, and 

 that the watery liquid had a strongly acid reaction, and that lactic 

 acid had been formed apparently in considerable quantities. It is 

 worthy of particular notice that no disagreeable smelling gases were 

 given off on the 8th of January. It is plain therefore that the minute 

 quantity of carbolic acid in the water in which the beef was immersed 

 in this experiment had the effect of retarding the decomposition for 

 10 days, after the lapse of which it did not enter into putrefaction bxit 

 into lactic acid fermentation. The fungus on the surface of the liquid 

 rapidly increased, and after a few more days a slightly disagreeable 

 smell gradually became perceptible. Examined again on the 15th of 

 January the fungus was found completely to cover the surface of the 

 liquid, and the smell given off from the meat was decidedly bad. The 

 next day it was worse, and the stench became so intolerable on the day 

 following that the meat had to be thrown away. 



We thus learn from this experiment that a very weak carbolic 

 acid solution, although it greatly delayed the changes which rapidly 

 took place in the meat immersed in water and caused it after a period 

 of 10 days to j^ass through the lactic ■ acid fermentation, did not 

 ultimately prevent its putrefaction. 



3. Beef immersed in Water containing 1 j)art of Carholic Acid in 100 



of Water. 



Up to the present date (February 3) the beef in this experiment is 

 still free from any disagreeable smell ; the liquid has turned slightly 

 acid and its colour has become somewhat unsightly, but no gas- 

 bubbles nor any trace of fungoid growth are noticeable. 



4. Beef immersed in Water containing 1 part of Carholic Acid in 

 50 of Water. 



The meat in this experiment is still (3rd of February) perfectly 



