406 NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 



portion above stated they do not prevent the production of 

 vibrio life. In order to do so they must be employed in 

 excess ; and I have ascertained^ by a direct series of experi- 

 ments, that large quantities of bleaching-powder are neces- 

 sary. I found that part of the carbon was converted into 

 carbonic acid, and part of the nitrogen was liberated. 



If, however, the bleaching-powder be not in excess, the 

 animal matter will still readily enter into putrefaction. The 

 assumption on which its emj)loyment as a disinfectant has 

 been based, viz. that the affinity of the chlorine for hydrogen 

 is so great as to destroy the germs, is erroneous. 



The next class to which I would call attention is the tar 

 series, where neither, the carbolic nor the cresylic acid fluids 

 gave any signs of vibrionic or fungus life during the whole 

 eighty days during which the experiments were conducted. 



The results obtained with sulphate of qiiinine, pepper, and 

 turpentine deserve notice. None of them prevents the de- 

 velopment of vibrio life ; but sulphate of quinine and pepper 

 entirely prevent the appearance of fungi. This fact, together 

 with the remarkable efficacy of sulphate of quinine in inter- 

 mittent fever, would lead to the supposition that this form of 

 disease is due to the introduction into the system of fungus 

 germs ; and this is rendered the more probable if we bear in 

 mind that these fevers are prevalent only in low, marshy 

 situations, where vegetable decay abounds, and never appears 

 to any extent in dry climates, even in the midst of dense 

 populations, where ventilation is bad and putrefaction is rife. 

 The results obtained in the case of charcoal show that it 

 possesses no antiseptic properties, but that it prevents the 

 emanation of putrid gases, owing to its extraordinary porosity, 

 which condenses the gases, thus bringing them into contact 

 with the oxygen of the atmosphere, which is simultaneously 

 condensed. 



The above results have been confirmed by a second series. 

 A series of experiments was also undertaken, substituting 

 gelatine for albumen, and was continued for forty-seven days. 

 9. Note on certain Phenomena of Coagulation which are ob- 

 servable in Frog's Blood. By Mr. Schafer, of University 

 College. — I was endeavouring in the autumn of last 

 year, at Professor Sanderson's instigation, to demonstrate 

 upon the frog some of Briicke's fundamental experiments 

 on the coagulation of the blood, experiments which he 

 performed on the tortoise ; I was surprised at the appa- 

 rent failure of some of them. For instance, having tied a 

 glass tube into the animal's aorta and allowed it to fill with 

 blood, I expected that which was in the tube speedily to 



