128 



Scientific Proceedings (106). 



It is unnecessary to suggest the various fields of application for 

 the test in testing the effect of heat, alkali, quantity, etc. The 

 above represents merely a preliminary communication and we 

 hope soon to report such modifications as will meet the defects 

 that have shown in the preliminary study outlined here. 



70 (1530) 



A study of local anesthetics in respect to their antiseptic 



properties. 



By D. I. Macht and Y. Satani. 



[From the Pharmacological Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, 

 and the James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, 

 Baltimore, Md.] 



An inquiry into the antiseptic properties of local anesthetics 

 is interesting for two reasons : Firstly, in relation to the healing of 

 post-operative wounds and secondly in connection with genito-uri- 

 nary practice, where these drugs are introduced into the bladder 

 cavity and may thus directly influence its bacterial flora. The 

 following local anesthetics were studied by the authors: cocain, 

 novocain, alpha-eucain, beta-eucain, stovain, holocain, alypin, 

 apothesine and benzyl alcohol. Bacteriological tests were made 

 in three ways. Firstly, the growth of bacteria in bouillon con- 

 taining small amounts of the anesthetics was studied. Secondly, 

 bacteria were suspended in weak solutions of the anesthetics for 

 definite periods of time, then washed, and planted in various media 

 in order to determine whether they will grower not. Thirdly, 

 bacteria were planted on agar impregnated with the various drugs 

 and their growth in this medium was noted. 



It was found that some local anesthetics possess definite 

 antiseptic properties, while others are entirely devoid of such- 

 It was interesting to find that the chief local anesthetics in use, 

 namely, cocain and novocain, possess no antiseptic properties. 

 On the other hand, some of the other bodies studied and in par- 

 ticular, benzyl alcohol, beta-eucain and holocain, showed distinct 

 antiseptic properties. The fuller data will appear in due time in 

 the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 



