254 MICROBES, FERMENTS, AND MOULDS. 
He analysed in this way twenty substances con- 
sidered to be antiseptic, or commonly used as such. 
He has published a table in which these substances 
are classified in their order of activity, and it includes 
among others the following antiseptics, which we cite 
in the order assigned to them :— 
Corrosive sublimate (mercuric chloride) ... «a No 1 
Chloride of lime at 95°... tee ae sas ww. No. 8 
Sulphurous acid ees i ei we «. No. 4 
Essence of mustard... wee ea sis - No 9 
Thymol ... iss oes sis ia aaa «+ No. 13 
Salicylic acid... sa Baie xe asi v- No. 14 
Carbolic acid... ee a8 oie ae we No. 16 
Boracic acid... ia ‘aie ia ewe «. No. 18 
Alcohol ... rer oe ean ies wos vs» No. 19 
Essence of eucalyp!us ... aot ioe _ «+ No. 20 
The three last substances are incapable of steri- 
lizing culture broths. 
This table shows that carbolic acid, which is now 
so much in use, does not destroy microbes so efficiently 
as salicylic acid, permanganate of potassium, thymol, 
benzoic acid, bromides, and iodine. In this estimate, 
however, we must take into account how far the use 
of each antiseptic is practicable. 
Thus, corrosive sublimate, which these experiments 
show to be the best antiseptic, can be used as an 
external lotion, but it cannot be given internally in 
doses sufficient to produce the desired effect. Eighty 
milligrammes are required to sterilize a litre of broth, 
and forty to arrest the development of bacteria. 
Twenty milligrammes will not effect this result, and 
