Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
Dec,  1918.  J 
Current  Literature. 
893 
Hypochlorite  and  Chloramin-T  Solution. — Exact  deter- 
minations of  the  rapidity  of  the  fall  in  chlorine  concentration  on 
pathologic  and  on  normal  skin  under  experimental  conditions,  were 
made  by  Austin  and  Taylor  because  they  might  be  of  value  to  sur- 
geons using  Dakin's  hypochlorite  and  chloramin-T  solutions  clin- 
ically. The  left  ears  of  three  white  rabbits  of  the  same  relative  size 
and  weight  were  exposed  to  the  rays  emitted  by  a  Coolidge  tube. 
The  spark  gap  used  measured  three  inches ;  the  miliamperage  was 
no;  the  distance  from  the  target  to  the  ear  was  six  inches ;  and  the 
time  of  exposure  was  twenty  minutes.  Eight  weeks  later  the 
roentgen  rayed  ears  each  exhibited  a  sharply  demarcated  gan- 
grenous area  over  which  there  was  considerable  crusting  of  epi- 
thelium and  secretions  and  in  the  lumen  there  was  much  thick  pus. 
The  ears  of  the  affected  rabbits  were  each  suspended  for  twenty 
minutes  in  a  beaker  containing  400  Cc.  of  the  solution  to  be  tested. 
The  fall  in  chlorine  concentration  of  Dakin's  hypochlorite  solu- 
tion was  more,  rapid  in  contact  with  necrotic  than  in  contact  with 
normal  tissue.  The  fall  in  chlorine  concentration  of  chloramin-T 
solution  was  very  slight  when  applied  to  necrotic  tissue  and  is 
negligible  when  applied  to  normal  tissue.  The  action  of  the  hypo- 
chlorite solution  on  tissue  resulted  in  the  separation  of  particles  of 
necrotic  tissue,  hair,  epithelial  scales,  coagulated  serum,  etc.,  and  a. 
gradual  digestion  of  these  substances,  taking  place  over  a  period  of 
at  least  seventeen  hours.  The  fall  in  the  chlorine  concentration  of 
hypochlorite  solution  was  not  complete  until  the  particles  were  com- 
pletely dissolved.  Chloramin-T  solution,  2  per  cent.,  had  no  erosive 
effect  comparable  with  that  exhibited  by  the  hypochlorite  solution. 
Repeated  exposure  to  the  three  solutions  showed  that  the  hypo- 
chlorite solution  was  superior  in  its  cleansing  ability  on  necrotic 
tissue.  The  hypochlorite  solution  was  much  more  irritating  to 
normal  rabbit  skin  than  chloramin-T  solution  or  the  alkaline  control 
solution.  Therefore,  the  authors  conclude  that  irritating  effects 
must  be  due  to  the  readily  available  chlorine.  (From  the  Journal  of 
Experimental  Medicine,  through  the  Journal  of  the  American  Med-- 
ical  Association.) 
Toxicity  of  Certain  Antiseptics. — The  toxic  action  of  a  num- 
ber of  antiseptic  substances  in  common  use  was  investigated  by 
Taylor  and  Austin.   The  method  was  to  inject  increasing  doses  into 
