INHIBITION OF GROWTH 



233 



heat or drying. The number pf cells d3dng in a given time interval is 

 proportional to the number of cells surviving. In the last five years, 

 this has been tested and found true with practically all disinfectants. 

 Fig. 109 shows the curves plotted from data obtained with 5aci. anthracis, 

 the full-drawn Une representing the number of live spores in_.2i per 



w 



10 



30 



HQ 



5*0 



60 



70 



SO ™i°> 



Fig. rog. — Curve of disinfection. Spores of Bad. anthracis in mercuric chloride 



solution. {After Chick.) 



cent of mercuric bichloride, the dotted line the same in .11 per cent 

 solution. 



The (apparent) resistance of the few remaining cells is of great im- 

 portance in those applications of disinfection where a thorough" kill- 

 ing of all bacteria is intended, e.g., in the treatment of drinking water. 

 Our ideas of the efficiency of a disinfectant would depend, therefore, 



