73 



Scientific Proceedings (iio). 



parahydroxymeta nitrophenylcarbinol, 



OH 

 N0 2 , 



CH 2 OH 



parahydroxymetaaminophenylcarbinol (' 1 Edinol ' ') , 



OH 



Anh 2 

 ch 2 oh 



and have found that all of these substances are weak antiseptics. 

 One or two per cent, solutions kill the bacillus coli, staphylococcus 

 albus, streptococcus hemolyticus pneumococcus and gonococcus 

 after 60 minutes exposure. Piperonyl alcohol, 



O CH 2 



Ac/ 



\/ 



CH 2 OH 



is still weaker. 



We have prepared a mercury compound of saligenin, 



Hg-0 



X Q CH 2 OH, 



HgOH, 



whose sodium salt is water soluble. Solutions of this compound 

 possess about the the same antiseptic power as HgCl 2 , i.e., 1 :io,ooo 

 solutions kill staphylococcus, bacillus coli and gonococcus in five 

 minutes and streptococcus hemolyticus in ten minutes in bouillon 

 cultures, while in beef serum bouillon 1 1500 solutions kill in five 

 minutes. Mercury saligenin is not a dye, and it is much less irritant 

 to mucous membranes than is HgCl 2 , so that a 1 :iooo soluion can 

 be held in the urethra for five minutes without burning or sub- 

 sequent irritation. We are therefore testing it clinically in an- 

 terior gonorrheal urethritis with encouraging results. 



