74 ON THE POISONOUS ACTION OF THE HYDROXYL-DERIVATIVES 



It seemed to be of interest to compare these different 

 phenols in relation to yeast and bacteria as it has been recently 

 asserted by Bicmacki (PJlug. Arch. 49, 112) that phenol is a 

 stronger poison for yeast than pyrogallol which would be an 

 exceptional case, the alcoholic fermentation being prevented by 

 the following solutions : — 



Phenol 1 : 200 



Resorcin 1 : 100 



Pyrogallol 1 : 50. 



For this purpose, equivalent quantities of different phenols 



were dissolved in Pasteur solution, and yeast added. The results 



are shown in the following table : — 



Phenol 0)5% no fermentation. 



Pyrocatechin 0,585 ,, ,, 



0,4% no fermentation. 

 0,468 ,, feeble fermen- 

 tation. 



Resorcin 0,585 fermentation. 



Hydrochinon 0,585 ,, 



Pyrogallol 0,670 ,, 



Phloroglucin 0,670 ,, 



In a second experiment, yeast was shaken first with the 

 solutions of these phenols and left to stand for 70 hours. After 

 decantation of the liquid, the yeast was put in Pasteur solution 

 with the following results : 



Phenol 0,3% fermentation. 



Pyrocatechin 0,351 ,, 



Resorcin 0,351 

 Hydrochinon 0,351 

 Pyrogallol 0,402 

 Phloroglucin 0,402 

 Phenol 

 Pyrocatechin 

 Resorcin 

 Hydrochinon 

 Pyrogallol 

 Phloroglucin 



0,4% no fermentation. 

 0,468 feeble fermenta- 

 tion. 



0,468 fermentation. 

 0,468 



o,53 6 

 0,536 



0,45% no fermentation. 

 0,527 



fermentation, 

 feeble fermentation. 



0,527 

 0,527 

 0,603 

 0,603 



fermentation. 



The same experiment has been carried out with bacteria. 

 A drop of putrid peptone solution was mixed with 50 c. c. of the 



