255 
1911-12.] Autolysis of Animal and Vegetable Matter. 
With regard to the use of chloroform, Muntz (3) states that chloroform 
is capable of destroying micro-organisms without influencing enzyme action. 
This is later confirmed, with some reservations as to the latter point, by 
Salkowski (4) and Fokker (5). Kaufmann (6) found chloroform capable 
of sterilising bacterial cultures if present in sufficient quantity. For this 
purpose a solution of chloroform in water was not sufficiently strong, the 
addition of pure chloroform being necessar}^ to produce sterility. Later, 
Kikkoji (7) finds that chloroform water provides an efficient medium for 
the autodigestion of calf liver, provided the relation of solid material to 
liquid is not greater than T V The presence of excess chloroform appears 
capable of preventing the growth of bacteria even when the amount of 
solid material is much greater — even -J; but it is noted that this excess 
seems to retard the progress of digestion. Salkowski (8) states that it is 
possible to keep easily decomposable liquids for as long as a year in 
presence of chloroform, provided the evaporation of chloroform is pre- 
vented by efficient stoppering. The somewhat contradictory results of 
Vandevelde (9) are ascribed by Salkowski to the neglect of this 
precaution. 
In connection with the preservation of material obtained from ground- 
up seeds, Miss White (10) states that the mere addition of chloroform 
was found insufficient, sterility being only obtained after soaking the 
seeds for some time in chloroform and subsequently grinding while 
still wet. 
As a general conclusion from these statements, chloroform appears to 
be fairly efficient, provided the necessary precautions are taken. It may 
also be mentioned here that the results of the experiments which form the 
subject of the present paper point to a similar conclusion : that of all the 
antiseptics examined chloroform is probably the one most to be recom- 
mended for general use. 
With regard to the use of formaldehyde, Kikkoji (7) finds that in all 
concentrations upwards from ’03 per cent, bacterial life seems to be 
destroyed. This concentration (*03 per cent.) is recommended by Kikkoji 
as the optimum, as the progress of enzyme action is retarded with the 
increasing concentration of the antiseptic. Price (11) gives the concen- 
tration of - 06 per cent, as completely destructive to bacterial life. 
In working on the plant proteases, Vines (12) finds hydrocyanic acid 
to be the most desirable antiseptic for the purpose, thymol being discarded 
in its favour. 
The efficiency of benzoic and salicylic acids has been investigated by 
Navassart (13), who states that a saturated solution of benzoic acid remains 
