and Toxic Agents on the Amylolytic Action of Saliva. 71 
O. Nasse* found increased amylolytic action with human saliva in 
the presence of 4:0 per cent. of the salt. Possibly this difference in 
our results is dependent in part upon difference in the relative amount 
of salt and ferment. 
Sodium tetraborate [Na,B,O,+10H,O]. 
With this salt experiments were tried with quantities varying from 
0°050 to 3°0 per cent. and in each instance the starch was dissolved, 
but no reducing bodies whatever were formed. Dumast has pre- 
viously noted a like retarding effect on the diastatic action of emul- 
sin, diastase and other like ferments. Sternberg states that this salt 
is without germicide value, even though used in a saturated solution ; 
its antiseptic power, 1. e. its capacity for preventing the multiplica- 
tion of bacterial organisms, is, however, considerable. 
Potassium bromide and potassium iodide. 
These two common therapeutic agents gave the following results: 
Total amount Starch 
Salt used. Wt. Cuin 4. reducing bodies. converted. 
0 ’ 01483 gram. 0°3020 gram. 27:18 per cent. 
KBr. 
0°5 per cent. 0°1566 0°3192 28°72 
30 0°1450 0°2956 26°60 
5:0 071314 0°2668 23°51 
KI. 
0°5 0°1550 0°3164 28°47 
3°0 0°1557 0°3172 28°54 
50 0°1467 0°2984 26°85 
Both of these salts show a stimulating action which is more per- 
sistent in the case of the iodide than with the bromide; 5:0 per cent. 
of the bromide causes a marked diminution of amylolytic action. 
Sodium chloride. 
Previous experiments have been tried with this salt by several 
investigators, notably by O. Nasse{ and E. Pfeiffer. The former 
found that the presence of 4:0 per cent. of the salt [the only percent- 
age experimented with] caused an increase in the ferment action of 
saliva [128:100]; the latter experimenter likewise found that the 
* Pfliger’s Archiv. fiir Physiologie, vol. xi, p. 150. 
+ Berichte der deutsch. Chem. Gesell., vol. v, p. 826. 
¢ Pfliger’s Archiv fiir Physiologie, vol. xi, p. 155. 
§ Centralbl. med. Wiss., 1885, p. 329, 
