PACTS AND OBSERVATIONS. 
Ill 
phosphate of magnesium, in order that the whole of the 
albumin may be assimilated.—J. K. C.— Journal of the 
Chemical Society. 
Experiments on Creaming. By W. Kirchner and 
others (Bled. Centr ., 1879, 377—381).—As the result of 
numerous experiments, Kirchner comes to the conclusion 
that pans made of tin are better than wooden pans for the 
cream to rise in. The other authors have experimented on 
the cooling of the milk by various processes, before churn¬ 
ing, and find that a larger yield of butter is usually obtained 
when the milk has been cooled by ice.— J. K. C.— Ibid. 
Experiments on Churning. By Winkel ( Bied . Centr., 
1879? 382).—The author sums up the results of his investi¬ 
gations as follows : — The more carefully the cream is 
skimmed off, that is, the less milk it contains, the lower the 
temperature of churning required, the number and swiftness 
of the turnings remaining the same ; or, in other words, so 
much the more quickly will the butter separate at the same 
temperature and quickness of churning.—J. K. C.— Ibid. 
Antiseptic Action of Acids. By N. Sieber (I. pr. 
Chem . [2], 19, 433—444).—The presence of so small a pro¬ 
portion as 05 per cent, of hydrochloric, sulphuric, phos¬ 
phoric, acetic, or even of butyric acid, is sufficient for anti¬ 
septic purposes. Phenol is somewhat less active, whilst 
lactic and boric acids are much less active, 4 per cent, of 
boric acid being insufficient to prevent putrefaction. 
The experiments were made simultaneously with meat 
and with the pancreas of the ox, in both cases suspended in 
water, and without exception decomposition occurred sooner 
in the case of the pancreas. There was fungoid growth but 
no Bacteria, when using 0 5 per cent, sulphuric acid, 1*0 
per cent, phosphoric, 2 and even with 4 per cent, lactic 
acid. 
The author discusses the question whether the acidity of 
the gastric juice is of itself sufficient to maintain the healthy 
action of the stomach, and he inclines to the affirmative 
opinion, as he found that 0 25 per cent, of hydrochloric acid, 
about the normal quantity in the stomach, was sufficient to 
prevent putrefaction for twenty-four hours in the tissues of 
meat and ox pancreas, and when putrefaction did occur, the 
solution was no longer acid, but neutral. 
As antiseptics, dilute solutions of acid salts would be no 
doubt as active as the acids, for G. Glaser has lately shown 
that in this respect aluminic acetate is equal to acetic acid.— 
A. J, C.— Ibid. 
