NOTE  ON  CARBOLIC  ACID,  ETC. 
365 
the  diseased  or  healthy,  and  even  tends  to  diminish  the  annoy- 
ance from  flies  and  mosquitoes. 
Much  of  the  above  information  is  gleaned  from  the  current 
Journals,  foreign  and  domestic,  and  as  the  authorities  are  too 
numerous  to  be  quoted,  the  statements  are  guarded  by  a  caution 
which  becomes  necessary  to  avoid  over-advertising  a  novelty 
which  is  in  some  risk  of  becoming  fashionable. 
Since  commencing  this  note  the  writer  has  received  from 
Messrs.  F.  Crace  Calvert  &  Co.  a  series  of  samples  of  their  pro- 
ducts, which  he  takes  occasion  to  exhibit  to  the  Association  in 
connection  herewith.  Their  "crystallized  carbolic  acid  No.  1," 
is  a  very  beautiful  product,  hitherto  rarely  seen  among  us.  It 
is  very  dry  and  white,  showing  no  signs  of  discoloration  by  light 
for  some  time,  but  ultimately  becoming  of  a  dusky  pink  color. 
The  No.  2,  medicinal  acid,  shows  but  little  liquid,  even  at  this 
summer  temperature,  but  is  not  so  nice  as  the  No.  1.  The  No. 
3  is  a  still  lower  grade,  and  contains  much  liquid.  Quantities  of 
this  grade,  imported  by  the  Chief  Medical  Purveyor  of  the  army 
a  year  or  two  ago,  and  put  up  by  the  writer,  was  almost  entirely 
liquid,  even  at  low  summer  temperatures. 
The  liquid  specimens,  Nos.  4  and  5,  have  not  been  examined 
for  want  of  time,  but  it  is  supposed  that  the  No.  5  is  practically 
better  than  any.  The  grade  No.  3  is  that  adopted  for  the  use 
of  the  British  army  and  navy,  because  it  well  subserves  all  the 
uses,  medical  as  well  as  disinfectant.  In  connection  with  these 
is  shown  a  specimen  of  the  creasote  put  up  for  the  use  of  our 
army  during  the  past  two  years,  under  the  name  of  impure  car- 
bolic acid,  by  the  writer.  It  contains  about  90  per  cent,  of  the 
tar  phenols  and  has  proved  a  most  efficient  article  in  use.  This 
is  made  by  the  coal-tar  distillers  around  New  York,  but  at  a 
much  higher  cost  than  the  preparation  from,  abroad  which  re- 
sembles it  in  appearance.  A  specimen  is  also  shown  of  the 
standard  solution  put  up  unfiltered,  in  quart  bottles,  with  direc- 
tions for  use.  This  was  put  up  as  cheaply  as  possible  for  the 
Metropolitan  Board  of  Health,  and,  although  unsightly  and 
unpretending,  it  is  really  an  efficient  and  useful  disinfectant, 
capable  of  subserving  almost  all  the  general  uses  of  the  creasote. 
Brooklyn,  April  16th,  1869. 
