﻿IX, B, 6 Ruediger: Germicidal Power of Glycerin 477 



Tables XXIX to XXXVI show that when diluted with horse 

 serum the germicidal power of glycerin is very feeble. In 12.5 

 per cent of glycerin in horse serum, the typhoid bacillus, Staphy- 

 lococcus albus, Staphylococcics aureus, the bacillus of anthrax, 

 the bacillus of diphtheria, and the bacillus of glanders were alive 

 at the end of fifteen days ; the bacillus of plague was dead after 

 ten days, and the spirillum of cholera was found to be dead on 

 the fifteenth day. Twenty-five per cent glycerin killed the ty- 

 phoid bacillus in fifteen days ; Staphylococcus albus, Staphylococ- 

 cus aureus, and the bacillus of anthrax were alive on the fifteenth 

 day. The bacillus of plague lived seven days, the spirillum of 

 cholera lived five days, the bacillus of diphtheria lived eleven 

 days, and the bacillus of glanders gave negative results after 

 six days. 



In 50 per cent glycerin the tjrphoid bacillus was alive at the 

 end of twenty-four hours, but negative results were obtained 

 thereafter. Staphylococcus albus lived five days; Staphylococ- 

 cus aureus, ten days; and the anthrax bacillus was alive on the 

 fifteenth day. At the end of one day, the bacillus of plague 

 gave a positive result and the spirillum of cholera a negative 

 result. The bacillus of diphtheria and the bacillus of glanders 

 lived five days and three days, respectively. 



CONCLUSIONS 



Glycerin has a distinct, although feeble germicidal action. 



The germicidal action varies greatly with the temperature, 

 being much feebler at a temperature of 15° C. than at from 

 30° to 35° C. 



The germicidal action varies with the diluent employed; in 

 glycerin diluted with physiologic salt solution the microorganisms 

 died much sooner than in glycerin diluted with bouillon or vdth 

 horse serum. 



In dilutions up to 50 per cent, glycerin did not destroy the 

 bacillus of anthrax in fifteen days. This may be due to the 

 presence of spores. 



Glycerin seems to be a selective poison for the bacillus of 

 plague, the spirillum of cholera, and the bacillus of diphtheria. 



In 50 per cent of glycerin in physiologic salt solution all the 

 nonspore-forming organisms died in less than four days. 



