1889 ] A. Pedler — Volaiililij of some of the Compounds of Mercury. 1D7 



cliloride as the active ingredient. Preparations, too, for preserving 

 wood, fabrics, &c. and for protecting them from white ants and other 

 destructive insects and animals frequently contain this substance, and 

 it is but fair to state that mercuric chloride fulfils such purposes most 

 effectually. Also some vermin and rat-poisons contain mercuric chloride 

 as the active ingredient. Again, within the last few years I believe the 

 use of mercuric chloride as an antiseptic in surgical and other cases has 

 * spread rapidly, and Lister* uses, I believe, a kind of gauze containing one 



per cent, of this salt or even cotton wool charged with five per cent, of it 

 as a dressing in surgical cases. Mercuric chloride has undoubtedly a 

 wonderful power of destroying genus of various kinds, and a solution of 

 one part in 20,000 of water is said to effectively kill germs such as 

 j those of anthrax. In all such cases, however, it must be borne in mind 



I that mercurial vapours may be under certain circumstances generated, 



and in persons who may be peculiarly susceptible to mercurial poisoning 

 very unpleasant effects may be produced. Two cases of mercurial 

 poisoning in Europe which are on record can in my opinion only be ex- 

 plained by the volatility of mercurial chloride which has now bean 

 proved. 



The two cases are described by H. Hagerf (who is I believe con- 

 ^ nected with the Imperial Health Office, Berlin) and the following 



is a translation of his descoiption : — f 



" What sad consequences breathing and living in rooms, to the 

 walls of which atoms of mercuric chloride adhere may have, the writer 

 intends to illustrate by two examples, the first of which will be sufficient 

 to condemn the use of the substance as a disinfectant. 



" ' An apothecary, Mr. Z., addressed the writer with reference to a 

 kind of disease from v/hich he had been suffering for some years, and of 

 which no medical advice had been able to relieve him. His gums were 

 dreadfully livid in appearance, his teeth had lost their hold and had 

 fallen out one after the other, he had lost his hair, &c., &c. ; Mr. Z. 

 complained also of a peculiar weakness in his stomach and had lost all 

 his former strength. Symptoms of mercurial poisoning were at once 

 recognized. The advice which was given to Mr. Z. was to search for 

 the seat of the poison, to take up the boards of the floor and examine 

 the sand under the boards optically and chemically, &c. The advice 

 was followed but the search proved abortive. Finally, however, it was 

 found that a wooden staircase had been attacked by fungi some years 



* Bi-itish Med. Jourti. Ootobor 23ra, 1884. 



t ChomisoUes Central Blatt No. 17 and 18, 1880. 



X I am indebted for those references to Mr. P. Briihl. 



