196 ACTION OF COAL-TAR PRODUCTS, 



not destroy these spores in thirty days. A f our-per-cent solution of 

 crude carbolic acid with two per cent of hydrochloric acid destroyed 

 spores in less than an hour ; four per cent of carbolic acid alone did 

 not destroy them in twelve days. Van Ermengem reports that in 

 his experiments the cholera spirillum in chicken bouillon was killed 

 in less than half an hour by 1 : 600, and that in blood serum 1 : 400 

 was effective. Nicati and Rietsch fix the germicidal power for the 

 cholera spirillum as 1 : 200, the time of exposure being ten minutes ; 

 Ramon and Cajal, 1 : 50. Boer gives the following results, the time 

 of exposure being two hours, cultures in bouillon twenty-four hours 

 old: 



Leitz reports the following results : The dejections of patients 

 suffering from typhoid fever, mixed in equal quantity with the disin- 

 fecting solution, were sterilized by a five-per-cent solution of car- 

 l>olic acid in three days. Pure cultures of the typhoid bacillus were 

 sterilized in fifteen minutes by a five-per-cent solution. 



In the experiments of Nocht upon anthrax spores it was found 

 that while at the room temperature these spores were not destroyed 

 by several days' exposure in a five-per-cent solution, they were de- 

 stroyed in three hours by the same solution at a temperature of 37.5. 



Carbolic acid prevents putrefactive changes in bouillon when pre- 

 -'nt in the proportion of 1 : 333 (Miquel). The tubercle bacillus is 

 killed in thirty seconds by a five-per-cent solution, and in one minute 

 by a one-per-cent solution (Yersin). 



Coffee Infusion. Experiments have been made by Heim and by 

 I .mleritz on the antiseptic power of an infusion of coffee. The first- 

 nam.-.l author found that anthrax bacilli no longer developed after 

 tlm>e hours* exposure in a ten-per-cent solution, but spores were not 

 kill.Ml ; it the end of a week. Streptococci in a bouillon culture re- 

 iu i rod twenty-four hours' exposure, and the staphylococci of pus were 

 11. >t destroyed in this time. Liideritz found that a three-per-cent iii- 

 fiisi.m restrained the growtli in nutrient gelatin of the typhoid ba- 

 rillu>. ami a five-per-cent infusion killed the bacillus in two days ; 

 the rlinlrra spirillum failed to grow in presence of one per cent, and 

 a solution of this strength killed it in seven hours ; Staphylococcus 



