98 PATHOGENIC BACTERIA. 



successful aseptic surgery of the present day, which 

 strives to prevent the entrance of germs into, rather than 

 their destruction after admission to, the wound. 



For a complete discussion of the subject of antiseptics 

 in relation to surgery the reader must be referred to the 

 large text-books of surgery, where much space is thus 

 occupied. A short list of useful germicides of which 

 the respective values are given, and a brief discussion 

 of some of the more important measures, can alone find 

 space in these pages. The antiseptic value of some of 

 the principal substances used may be expressed as fol- 

 lows, the figures indicating the strength of the solution 

 necessary to prevent the development of bacteria : 



Pyoktanin (methyl violet) . i : 2,000,000 i 15000. 

 Bichlorid of mercury . . . i : 14,300. 



Hydrogen peroxid i : 20,000. 



Formalin i : 20,000. 



Nitrate of silver . .... .1:12,500. 



Creolin i : 5000 to i : 200 (does not kill 



anthrax). 

 Chromic acid i : 5000. 



Thymol 



Salicylic acid 



Potassium bichromate . . 



Zinc chlorid 



Potassium permanganate 



: 1340. 

 : looo. 

 1909. 



: 285 ; not prompt in action . 



Nitrate of lead i : 277. 



Boracic acid i : 143. 



Chloral hydrate i : 107. 



Ferrous sulphate i : 90 i : 200, Sternberg. 



Calcium chlorid i : 25. 



Creosote i : 20. 



Carbolic acid i : 20 : : i : 50. 



Alcohol . . , i : 10. 



Ether. Pure ether will not kill anthrax spores immersed 

 in it for eight days. 



The value of antiseptics, like that of disinfectants, is 

 always relative, the destructive as well as the inhibitory 

 power of the solution varying with the micro-organism 

 upon which it acts. The following table, from Boer, 

 will illustrate this : 



