t ft F 



158 BACTERIOLOGY. 



Herroun considers that the value of mercuric 

 chloride as an antiseptic is much over- rated, as 

 he has cultivated ordinary septic bacteria in 

 albuminous filtrates, containing i in 2,000. It is 

 precipitated by albumins if used of greater strength, 

 and is readily converted by the sulphur of albu- 

 minous bodies into mercuric sulphide, a com- 

 pound which has practically no antiseptic 

 properties. 



Sternberg has also made an elaborate series of 

 experiments with regard to the action of germi- 

 cides. In this case cultivations of well-known 

 pathogenic organisms in liquid media were em- 

 ployed. The supposed germicide was added to the 

 liquid cultivation, and after two hours a fresh flask 

 of sterilised culture was inoculated from the dis- 

 infected cultivation, and placed in the incubator. 

 In twenty- four to forty-eight hours, if the chemical 

 was not efficient, there was evidence of a growth ot 

 bacteria. Blyth has investigated the disinfection 

 of cultivations of Bacterium termo, of sewage, and 

 typhoid excreta, and, in conjunction with Klein, the 

 effect of well-known disinfectant materials on an- 

 thrax spores. Miquel, Laws, and others, have also 

 contributed to our knowledge of the effect of anti- 

 septics and disinfectants upon micro-organisms. 

 In spite of all that has been done, there is room for 

 many workers ; a great deal of ground must be 

 gone over again to rectify discrepancies, examine 

 conflicting results, and thus determine what 



