1010 TrAKSACTIOKS of the AlIERICATf INSTITUTE. 



erful disinfectant, but mnst not be applied to tlie sltin unless rery 

 gi'eatly diluted. When the preparation is required to prevent the 

 ravages of insects it may be more conveniently used in a solid forin, 

 which may be obtained by adding whiting to the liqiiid. Ladies will 

 find tlie presence of this powder very effective in the preservation of 

 furs. 



Dr. Parmelee suggested that there must be some mistake abotit the 

 formula given for the preparation of tlie new article. Solid carbolic 

 acid is an article never seen in the New York market, being alto- 

 gether too expensive on account of the very great trouble involved in 

 its preparation. Unless some way of using the liquid acid could be 

 devised he did not think that the discovery projnised to amount to 

 much. 



Dr. L. Feuchtwanger : "Why nse carbolic acid wheh permanganate of 

 soda is so much superior. A body was recently sent from this city 

 to the south, and kept in a state of perfect preservation by the occa- 

 sional application of a solution of permanganate of soda. Solid car- 

 bolic acid undergoes a change by keeping, becoming red, and thi 8 

 change renders its use unpleasant. 



The chairman thought that the doctor was laboring nnder an error 

 with regard to the superior virtue of permanganate of soda. Experi- 

 ments have proved that earbolic acid is superior to all other disinfect- 

 ants. Sulphurous acid and the sulphites stand next. 



Dr. Yanderweyde here remarked that carbolic acid had been used 

 in some experiments for the preservation of animals by suffocating 

 them in a room filled with the vai:)or of carbolic acid. The plan 

 succeeded well on a' small scale. The vapor penetrated the flesh very 

 completely, affecting even the most minute fibrils. It was tried first 

 with a chicken, then with a sheep, and finally with a bull. It worked 

 very well with the chicken ; succeeded tolerably with the sheep, but 

 •the bull gave a good deal of trouble. He became rather unmanage- 

 able before he succumbed. A question here arose as to the peculiar 

 action in the case of Dr. Harris' preparation. Does the camphor 

 merely neutralize the order of the carbolic acid, and does carbolic 

 acid neutralize the odor of the camphor ? It was a general impres- 

 sion that the odor of the carbolic acid is fully neutralized, but no 

 information was given in regard to the odoi- of the camphor. 



Mr. T. D. Stetson made some general remarks in regard to the 

 distinction to be maintained between antiseptics and disinfectants. 

 Salt is an antiseptic, for it prevents putrification. Carbolic acid is a 



