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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
DEPARTMENT BULLETIN No. 1308 
Washington, D. C. ▼ November 22, 1924 
CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL METHODS FOR THE CONTROL OF SAPONI- 
FIED CRESOL SOLUTIONS 
By Robert M. Chapix, Biochemist, Biochemic Division, 
Bureau of Animal Industry 
Page 
Purpose of discussion 1 
Fundamental requirements for sa- 
ponified cresol solutions 2 
CONTENTS 
Page 
Fractional distillation of the total 
phenols 20 
Tentative standards and results of 
Physical tests 5 the examination of some commer 
Estimation of total fixed alkali 6 I cial samples 21 
Estimation of excess fixed alkali (i I Summary 23 
Estimation of total phenols 8 Literature cited 24 
Estimation of henzdphenol 17 j 
PURPOSE OF DISCUSSION 
UNDEK regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Agricul- 
ture, at present embodied in B. A. I. Order 273 (tf) 1 , the Bureau 
of Animal Industry is charged with the disinfection of premises and 
vehicles which may have become infected by diseased animals in 
course of interstate transportation, as well as with the disinfection 
of the animals themselves under certain conditions. Inasmuch as 
the bureau is held responsible for the results of disinfection, it must 
necessarily possess the power to prescribe the means by which the 
results shall be attained, including the chemical composition and the 
physical properties of the disinfectants to be used. 
This bulletin discusses " saponified cresol solutions " as official dis- 
infectants but does not undertake exhaustively to cover products 
intended for other applications or subject to other criteria. The 
Bureau of Animal Industry began to depart from the requirements 
of the Pharmacopoeia for liquor cresolis compositus in 1915, suc- 
cessively permitting the use of a cheaper grade of commercial cresol, 
a smaller proportion of linseed oil, sodium hydroxide instead of 
potassium hydroxide, and finally soybean oil or its fatty acids in 
lieu of linseed oil. These changes, some of which were followed in 
the ninth revision of the Pharmacopoeia, were obviously for the pur- 
pose of economy. Other departures from the pharmacopoeial speci- 
1 Figures in italic in parentheses refer to literature cited, p. 24. 
8898 c — 24 1 
