The Catalytic Action of Platinized Asbestos 225 



brains and infected tissues of cases of poliomyelitis. This was 

 prepared as follows: 



"The jar used is an ordinary museum specimen jar about 30 cm. high, with an 

 inside diameter of 12.5 cm. Two holes 1.5 cm. are ground in the cover and 

 into each hole is firmly inserted a No. 4 one-hole rubber stopper carrying a 

 ground-glass "angle" stop-cock. To one of the stop-cocks is attached a rubber 

 tube, at the end of which is a short piece of glass tube which reaches to the 

 bottom of the jar. To the other stop-cock is attached by a short rubber tube a 

 glass bulb, 2 cm. in diameter which has been blown on the end of a capillary glass 

 tube. The glass bulb is perforated with 5-6 holes, 2 mm. in diameter and is 

 filled with platinized asbestos. The details are shown in the cut. 



The cultures are placed after inoculation in a glass tumbler which is then 



stop-cock for so- 

 dium hydrate 



Rubber ring 



Rubber tube ex- 

 tending to pyro- 

 gallic acid 



Pyrogallic acid- 

 sodium hydrate 

 mixture 



Stop-cock for 

 hydrogen 



Rubber tubing con- 

 necting bulb with 

 stop-cock 



Perforated glass 

 bulb containing 

 platinized asbestos 



Water of condensa- 

 tion formed from 

 hydrogen and 

 oxygen 



Insulated tubes in 

 glass container 



Fig. 66. — Anaerobic jar with platinized asbestos bulb. Showing apparatus 

 complete (Smillie). 



placed in the jar, to which 100 c.c. of a 10 per cent, pyrogallic acid solution have 

 been added. 



The glass bulb containing the platinized asbestos is heated over a frge flame 

 for a few seconds and the cover is then cemented on. A rubber ring 0.5 cm. 

 which is placed between the jar and the cover, all surfaces are cemented with 

 Major's glass cement, and the metal clamp is screwed down with thumb and 

 forefinger. The stop-cock to wMch the glass bulb is connected is placed on the 

 vacuum pump and gentle suction is applied for two or three seconds in order to 

 secure a good initial flow of hydrogen and thus ignite the platinized asbestos at 

 once. The stop-cock is now closed and attached to the hydrogen apparatus, 

 and the gas allowed to enter. This should be done carefully at first, in order 

 that an excess of hydrogen does not enter at once; for the gas should be burned 

 as rapidly as it enters the jar. The platinized asbestos will soon be seen to 

 glow and from this time hydrogen and oxygen will slowly unite and the water 

 formed wiU be deposited on the sides of the jaw. When all of the oxygen has 

 united with the hydrogen the platinized asbestos will become cool but the hydro- 

 gen will continue to enter the jar until all the space formerly occupied by oxygen 

 15 



