Table ^o. 39. — Showing the ewtct of dWerent percentages of jormaUn on diphtheric toxine 
after twentg-four hours' exposure. 
Date. 
guinea 
^P4g. 
Dose in 
MLDs. 
± ILIAC- 
exposed, 
in hours. 
Forma- 
lin. 
Deaih. 
Recovery. 
Days. 1 Houi^. 
- 
Granu. 
Per eenL 
i 
Marcli 1. 1907 
200 
O ( 
1 ! 
j 23 0 
Paralvsis. 
Do.: 
420 
330 
O « 
O I 
; 35 0 
Do. 
Do 
370 
XCi 
o_i 
b 
• 
Do 
390 
2CH) 
24 
Do 
370 
330 
24 
5 
1 
1 
Table 2s o. 40. — Showing the meet of S per cent formalin on diphtheria to.cine. after 
exposu re for carious Jen^hs of time. 
Result. 
Date. 
Weight 
guinea 
Dose in 
MLDs. 
Time 
exi>osed. 
in hours. 
Forma- 
iin. 
Death. 
Days. Hours. 
G^ram-s. 
March 16. iwT 420 
Do 431 
Do 420 
Do 430 
Do 4:>S 
I>> 440 
Per eerd. 
XO 
1 
3 
1 
13 
•200 
•■> 
3 
4 
s 
•200 
3 
3 
4 
s 
•200 
4 
3 
4 
15 
XXI 
5 
3 
4 
4 
200 i 
6 
3 
4 
17 
! 
RecoTery. 
Two control pigs with the toxine alone died in seventeen and 
nineteen hours, respectively. 
A study of the above tables shows that when tetanus toxine is exposed 
to 5 per cent formalin for six hours a guinea pig is able to .withstand 
100 ^ILD of this formalinized toxine: that 3 per cent formalin after 
twenty -four hours' ex|X)sure protects against the toxine: that 3 per 
cent formalin after one hour destroys a part of the toxine. and that its 
action increases ivith the length of exposure. 
Diphtheria toxine is more susceptible than tetanus toxine. as 1 per 
cent formalin after six hours' exposure protects a guinea pig against 
acute death, paralysis, however, not being prevented. One per cent, 
after twenty-four hours' ex|x>sure. has the same elfect. Its action 
against the toxine increases with the length of exposure. 
This action of formalin on toxine is an important property in its use 
as a disinfectant, for not only are the bacteria themselves destroyed, 
but their soluble products as well. 
Attempts have been made to treat certain septicemic conditions by 
means of the intravenous injection of weak formalin solutions, but 
without much success. Perhaps more success would attend its use in 
localized infections where there is a nest of germs elaborating a toxine 
which is absorbed and distributed throughout the system. This phase 
of the subject, it is hoped, will be treated in a later paper. 
