J. T. Donald on Antiferrnents. 57 



acts by destroying the germs whose growth causes fermentations, 

 disease and decay, and for this reason it is used for fumigating 

 apartments. The curious thing about this ozone is its name, for, 

 to the chemist, ozone is the name of an allotropic form of oxygen. 



The third sample of food-preservative received bore simply the 

 name of Antiferment and is intended for preserving wine, beer, 

 and cider. It is composed chiefly of common salt and sodic 

 carbonate, with a very small quantity of salicylic acid. The 

 gentleman who sent the sample informed me that, so far as he 

 had been able to test the material, it did satisfactorily what was 

 claimed for it. Through what length of time it acts, I cannot 

 say. Two of its ingredients, viz : salt and salicylicacid, are 

 both well known as food-preservers, and it is quite credible 

 that the two, acting in conjunction, may very powerfully oppose 

 fermentation. The manufacturers of Antiferment advertise 

 that they prepare several brands of food-preservatives, each 

 for a specific purpose ; that for the keeping of meat is called 

 Viandine. Science for Sept. 14, 1883, contains a note on 

 viandine, in which the composition is said to consist of sixty- 

 seven parts of a mixture bora boracic acid, and fifteen parts of 

 chloride of potassium and eighteen parts of water. 



The same journal further states that numerous trials had been 

 made with viandine, and that, whilst it to a certain extent pre- 

 vented putrefaction, it by no means accomplished what was 

 claimed it, and could not be recommended for preserving meat. 



The last antiferment to which I have had my attention called 

 is name Boroglyceride. It was first prepared, I believe, by Prof. 

 Barff, the original inventor of the well-known Bower-Barff process 

 for rendering iron rustless. Boroglyceride, as its name indicates, 

 is composed of boracic acid and glycerine, and is a hard, brittle 

 solid, somewhat resembling ice in appearance. Since boracic acid 

 and glycerine are both well-known antiseptics, we should naturally 

 expect that a compound of the two would be very useful for pre- 

 venting fermentation. There are many who are loud in their 

 praises of boroglyceride, and not without cause, if the substance 

 acts as effectually as Prof. Barff, who is worthy of credence, 

 assures us it does. 



With this preparation the inventor sent cream from England 

 to Zanzibar, passing through the hot climate of the Bed Sea, and 



