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The Antiseptic Action of Substances of the Chloramine Group* 

 By H. D. Dakin, J. B. Cohen, F.B.S., M. Daufresne, and J. Kenyon. 

 (Report to the Medical Research Committee.) 



(Received February 5, 1916.) 



In the course of experiments relating to the employment of antiseptics in 

 the treatment of infected wounds, one of the present writers introduced a 

 modification of the ordinary sodium hypochlorite solution which was found 

 capable of giving useful results when properly employed.-f The advantages 

 of this sodium hypochlorite preparation for the treatment of infected wounds 

 compared with some commonly used antiseptics may be referred to the 

 following properties — -though powerfully germicidal it does not coagulate 

 blood serum or other protein substances, while at the same time it dissolves 

 necrotic tissue ; it is freely soluble and can penetrate to a certain extent, and 

 when properly prepared it is practically non-irritating at 0"5 per cent, 

 concentration. 



Out of a very large number of antiseptics that were systematically 

 examined, the hypochlorites seemed to be among the most generally useful. 

 It was, therefore, of interest to study the mode of action of hypochlorites 

 and to endeavour to find related substances which might prove to be of 

 greater practical value. 



A number of years ago Baschig showed that when a hypochlorite solution 

 is added to ammonia, the simplest chloramine, NH^Cl, is formed 



H 2 NH + NaC10 = H 2 KCl + NaOH. 



This reaction between ammonia and hypochlorite is typical of many similar 

 changes between hypochlorous acid or hypochlorites on the one hand, and 

 more complex amino-compounds on the other. Our knowledge of these 

 changes is chiefly due to the extensive researches of Chattaway. A great 

 variety of organic substances containing (NH) groups react with hypo- 

 chlorites to give compounds of the chloramine group, i.e., substances 

 containing the : NCI radical. 



It appears probable that the germicidal action of hypochlorites is due to 

 chemical reactions of a similar type. It is reasonable to assume that the 

 killing of micro-organisms by antiseptics is due to chemical changes brought 



* The work reported in this communication was done partly at the University of 

 Leeds, with the support of the Medical Research Committee, and partly at Hospital 21, 

 Compiegne, France, in laboratories supported by the Rockefeller Institute. 



t ' Brit. Med. Journ.,' August 28, October 23, November 27, and December 4, 1915. 



