TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 71 



In comparing the results given in the above Table, the substances can be classed 

 under four distinct heads, viz. those vrhich prevent the development of protoplasmic 

 ftud fungus life, those which prevent the production of vibrio life, but do not 

 prevent the appearance of fungus life, those which permit the production of vibrio 

 life, but prevent the appearance of fungus life, and those which do not prevent the 

 appearance of either protoplasmic or fungus life. 



The first class contains only two substances, carbolic and cresylic acids. In the 

 second class also there are only two compounds, chloride of zinc and bichloride of 

 mercury. 



In the third class there are five substances, lime, sulphate of quinine, pepper, 

 turpentine, and prussic acid. In the fourth class is included the remaining twenty- 

 five substances. 



The acids, while not preventing the production of vibrios, have a marked tendency 

 to promote the growth of fungi. This is especially noticeable in the case o"f 

 sulphuric and acetic acids. Alkalies, on the contrarj^, are not favourable to the 

 production of fungus life, but promote the development of vibrios. 



The chlorides of zinc and mercury, while completely preventing the development 

 of animalcules, do not entirely prevent fungus life ; but I would call special at- 

 tention to the interesting and unexpected results obtained in the cases ot chlorine 

 and bleaching-powder. When employed in the proportion above stated, they do not 

 prevent the production of \ ibrio life. 



In order to do so they must be employed in excess ; and I have ascertained, 

 by a distinct series of experiments, that large quantilies of bleaching-powder 

 are then necessary ; but the organic matter is also destroyed, its carbon being con- 

 verted into carbonic acid, and part of its nitrogen liberated. 



If, however, the bleaching-powder be not in excess, tlie animal matter will 

 still readily enter into putrefaction. The assumption on which its employment 

 as a disinfectant has been based, namely that the afiinity of the chlorine for 

 hydrogen is so great as to destroy the germs of putrefaction, is erroneous. The 

 next class to which I woidd call attention is the tar series, which gave no sio-ns 

 of vibrionic or fungus life during eighty days. The results obtained with sulphate 

 of quinine, pepper, and turpentine deserve notice. None of them prevent the 

 development of vibrios, but sulphate of quinine and pepper entirely prevent the 

 appearance of fungi. This fact, together with the remarkable efficacy of sulphate 

 of quinine in intermittent fever, would lead to the supposition that this disease is 

 due to the introduction into the system of fungus-germs ; and this is rendered the 

 more probable, if we bear in mind that these fevers are prevalent only in low 

 marshy situations, where vegetable decay abounds, and never appear to any extent 

 in dry climates even in dense populations where ventilation is bad and putrefaction 

 is rife. The results obtained in the case of charcoal show that it possesses no anti- 

 septic properties, but that it prevents the enianation of putrid gases owing to its ex- 

 traord nary porosity, which condenses the gases, thus bringing them into contact 

 with the oxj^gen of the atmosphere, which oxidizes and destroys them. The above 

 facts have been confirmed by a second series of experiments. 



On the Presence of Albumen in Neutral Fats, and on a New Process for the 

 Manufacture of Stearic and Palmitic Acids, ^t. Bi/ William L^nt 

 Carpenter, B.A., B.Sc, F.C.S. 



In the International Exhibition of 1871 there were exhibited specimens of very 

 fine stearic acid, made by a new process invented hj Professor J. C. A. Bock, of 

 Copenhagen. This process the author had studied practically, and had extended its 

 application to vegetable fats. 



The disadvantages of processes hitherto in use for decomposing neutral fata were 

 pointed out. In the lime saponification, either 66 per cent.above the theoretical quan- 

 tity of lime was required, or else a very high pressure. In the various processes 

 of distillation the waste of material was considerable, and the risk of tire o-reat. 

 Where water alone was used, the high pressure required frequently burst the 

 vessels employed. The inventor of the process under consideration was a scieu- 



