Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Dec,  1882 
Study  of  AiitiseptiGs. 
605 
non-precipitation  of  dilute  solutions  in  the  presence  of  gum  is  not 
absolutely  general.  Tlie  iodides  of  lead  and  mercury^  sulphate  of 
barium  and  carbonate  of  lead  are  precipitated  in  solutions  containing^ 
gum  more  slowly^  but  nearly  as  completely  as  in  distilled  water. 
The  question  arises  whether  in  the  presence  of  these  facts  it  is  neces- 
sary to  conclude  that  the  ordinary  reactions  undergo  modification. 
Contrary  to  the  opinion  of  M.  Lambron.  the  authors  think  it  is  not. 
Although  precipitation  does  not  take  place,  it  is  evident  from  the 
intense  coloration  of  most  of  the  gummy  liquids,  as  compared  with 
that  of  the  liquids  floating  above  the  precipitates,  that  the  compounds 
are  formed,  but  that  they  remain,  if  not  in  solution,  at  least  in  such  a 
state  of  division  that  they  pass  through  any  filter ;  and  the  microscope, 
even  with  the  strongest  powers,  does  not  reveal  any  trace  of  solid  mat- 
ter in  suspension.  Under  these  conditions  it  might  be  asked  whether 
gum  does  not  possess  the  property  of  dissolving  metallic  sulphides  and 
oxides.  Such  an  interpretation  would  be  inexact,  because  recently 
formed  precipitates  are  not  redissolved  when  submitted  to  the  action  of 
a  very  concentrated  solution  of  gum. 
Although  the  phenomenon  has  not  the  generality  that  might  be 
expected,  the  authors  publish  these  results  as  affecting  not  only  thera- 
peutics, but  also  analytical  chemistry  and  toxicology.  It  is  alo  sug- 
gested that  they  are  worthy  of  the  attention  of  physiologists,  since 
most  of  the  organic  liquids  contain  gum  or  analogous  substances,  and 
it  is  therefore  possible  to  conceive  the  simultaneous  existence  in  the 
soluble  state  in  animal  or  vegetable  cells  of  compounds  reacting  chem- 
ically upon  each  other. — Phar.  Jour,  and  Trans.,  Oct.  14,  1882,  from 
Jour,  de  Phar.  et  de  Chim.  [5],  vi,  169. 
CONTRIBUTIONS  TO  THE  STUDY  OF  ANTISEPTICS. 
By  F.  Boillat. 
Koch  having  declared  in  a  recent  paper  that  most  of  the  substances 
at  present  employed  at  disinfectants  are  practically  useless,  and  that 
the  only  ones  worthy  of  the  name  are  chlorine,  bromine,  iodine,  and 
corrosive  sublimate,  with  possibly  potassium  permanganate  and  osmic 
acid,  the  author  undertook  the  investigations  recorded  in  this  paper; 
he  thinks  that  this  contradiction  of  generally  accepted  facts  is  not  as 
strong  as  it  appears.  As  the  antiseptics  employed  in  surgery  do  not 
require  to  be  perfect,  it  is  sufficient  for  the  purpose  (jf  the  surgeon  if 
