204 GENERAL THERAPEUTICS FOR VETERINARIANS 



soft soap (or of ordinary washing lye) will kill anthrax spores in 

 10 minutes if heated to 80° C. Heating the soap solution (and 

 the soda solution) to 50° C. is not sufficient. 



Acids. They are in general poor antiseptics, but are coly- 

 septics (inhibit development of bacteria). Sulphuric acid does not 

 kill anthrax spores in 1 per cent, solution even after 20 days' 

 action; its irritant effect upon the skin and mucous membranes is 

 also objectionable. The experiments with acid turf litter (foot- 

 and-mouth disease) therefore proved unsatisfactory. On the 

 other hand, a combination of hydrochloric acid (2 per cent.) with 

 sodium chloride (10 per cent.) is a strong disinfectant; this "pick- 

 ling fluid" disinfects anthrax and black leg hides with certainty. 



Hydrargyri chloridum corrosivum. Corrosive sublimate. The 

 strongest and quickest disinfectant for all bacteria, especially all 

 spore-forming microorganisms (anthrax spores), with the excep- 

 tion of tubercle bacilli; odorless, very cheap and easily and con- 

 veniently transported (sublimate tablets). Anthrax spores are 

 destroyed with certainty and quickly only by sublimate. A 1 : 1000 

 solution destroys all of the organisms of the infectious diseases, 

 including anthrax spores. The disinfectant action is increased by 

 the use of warm solutions. The decomposition of the sublimate 

 by ordinary water may be prevented by the addition of sodium 

 chloride (sublimate tablets) or organic acids. When the disinfection 

 is done carefully, the poisonous propertiesof sublimate are of no con- 

 sideration, not even in the disinfection of cattle stables (subsequent 

 washing with J^ per cent, solution with sulphuretted potash). 



Phenol. CarboUc acid. A weak disinfectant (100 times 

 weaker than sublimate, 10 times weaker than creolin, lysol, etc.); 

 ineffective against anthrax spores. On the other hand, the glanders 

 bacillus and the less resistant bacteria (anthrax bacilli, etc.) are 

 quickly killed by a 2 per cent, solution. A 5 per cent, solution is 

 necessary to destroy tubercle bacilli. The odor of carbolic acid 

 is unpleasant and is transmitted to the meat and milk (poisoning 

 of man). Carbolic acid disinfection is also relatively expensive. 



Cresol. (*Creolin, *lysol, *bacillol.) A very effective and 

 cheap disinfectant; far superior to carbolic acid; effective against 



