THE VITAL PHENOMENA OF BACTERIA. 75 



species of animals. In conditions due to fast- 

 ing, to catarrh of the stomach and to overload- 

 ing of the stomach, the amount of hydrochloric 

 acid present does not suffice for protection, so 

 that, to take an example, conditions result- 

 ing either from hunger or from over-eating, as 

 well as from diseases of the stomach, may 

 facilitate cholera infection. 



Corrosive sublimate is less effective as a ger- 

 micide in alkaline fluids containing much al- 

 buminous substance than in watery solution. 

 In such fluids precipitates of albuminate of mer- 

 cury are formed which are at first insoluble so 

 that a part of the mercuric salt does not really 

 exert any action. If these albuminates of mer- 

 cury are dissolved in an excess of blood or blood- 

 serum, they become very effective, and Lister 

 has even recommended them for use in the ban- 

 daging of wounds. In alkaline solutions such 

 as blood, blood-serum, pus, tissue-fluids, etc., 

 the soluble compounds of mercury are converted 

 into oxides or hydroxides. The soluble com- 

 pounds can of course remain in solution only 

 when there are present sufficient quantities of 

 certain bodies which render solution possible. 

 Bodies of this sort are especially the alkaline 

 chlorides and iodides and, above all, sodium 

 chloride and ammonium chloride. A very sim- 

 ple way of preventing precipitation of the 



