210 GERMICIDES AND ANTISEPTICS. 



Germicides are also antiseptics, as the bacteria of 

 putrefaction are killed by them as well as those 

 mentioned. They may also arrest putrefactive 

 decomposition in quantities less than are required 

 to completely destroy putrefactive organisms. 

 But an antiseptic is not necessarily a germicide ; 

 for experiment proves that certain substances ar- 

 rest putrefaction which have not the power to kill 

 the bacteria to which this is due. This they do 

 by arresting the vital activity multiplication 

 of the germs of putrefaction, or by so changing 

 the nutritive pabulum required for the develop- 

 ment of these germs that they are unable to 

 appropriate it to their use. 



If it were proven that the infectious character 

 of every kind of infective material depended upon 

 the presence of a specific living germ, as has been 

 shown to be true in the case of certain kinds of 

 infective material, germicide and disinfectant would 

 be synonymous terms. Although this has not 

 been proved, it is a significant fact that all of the 

 disinfectants of established value have been shown 

 by laboratory experiments to be potent germi- 

 cides. 



The antiseptic value of a substance is readily 

 determined by a series of experiments in which it 

 is added in various proportions to putrescible or- 

 ganic substances, and observing if, under favorable 

 conditions as to temperature and moisture, putre- 

 faction is arrested or prevented. 



Some observers have made arrest of motion in 



