228 GERMICIDES AND ANTISEPTICS. 



tic potash has the minimum of preventive power, 

 1 : 10. Such a mixture is highly caustic ; still 

 it was necessary to use it of such strength as at 

 1 : 25 vibriones and bacteria were abundant " 

 (Dougall). 



Potassium Arsenite (Fowler's solution of) failed 

 to destroy the micrococcus of pus in the proportion 

 of forty per cent. According to Koch, arsenite 

 of potash prevents the development of anthrax 

 spores in the proportion of 1 : 10,000. 



Potassium Chlorate in the proportion of four per 

 cent does not destroy the virulence of septicsemic 

 blood (S). " Chlorate of potassium, so much used 

 as a gargle in stomatitis, diphtheria, etc., where it 

 is held to act by destroying certain fungi or germs 

 of specific poison, has not only no preventive 

 power, but actually accelerates decomposition " 

 (Dougall). 



Potassium Iodide gave no evidence of germicide 

 power ; exposure to the action of a saturated solu- 

 tion did not prevent the development of the bac- 

 teria of broken-down beef-tea (S). 



Potassium Nitrate failed in 4 per cent solution to 

 destroy the virulence of septicsemic blood (S). 



Potassium Permanganate. A 2 per cent solution 

 destroys the virulence of septicoemic blood. The 

 micrococcus of pus is destroyed by 1 : 800 (S). A 

 5 per .cent solution destroys the fresh virus of 

 symptomatic anthrax, but has no effect upon the 

 dried virus (Arloing, Cornevin, and Thomas). One 

 per cent will not destroy the spores of anthrax. 



