Am.  Jour.  Pharm. ) 
Sept.,  1885.  j 
Disinfectants. 
443 
not  agree  with  the  conclusions  of  Dr.  Sternberg's  committee  here,  in 
omitting  carbolic  acid  as  not  being  a  true  disinfectant,  but,  on  the  con- 
trary, places  it  first  in  rank,  as  taking  precedence  in  value  over  chlori- 
nated lime,  and  this  appears  to  have  been  done  upon  the  experience  of 
Dr.  Koch.  This  delegate  objected  to  recommending  corrosive  subli- 
mate, for  two  reasons :  First,  because  it  was  too  dangerous  for  general 
use ;  and,  second,  because,  its  disinfecting  action  was,  to  some  extent^ 
interfered  with  by  the  fact  that  it  entered  into  combination  with  albu- 
minous material,  and  thus  failed  to  come  in  contact  with  germs  enclosed 
in  albuminous  masses." 
Dr.  Koch's  first  objection  appears  to  be  more  sound  than  his  second 
one,  since  it  is  highly  probable  that  all  germicides  act  by  combination 
with  the  albuminous  material  of  the  infective  matter. 
Only  two  chemical  disinfectants  were  recommended,  not  because  there 
were  none  others  trustworthy,  but  because  it  was  sufficient  to  recom- 
mend two  of  those  most  generally  useful.  Indeed,  Dr.  Koch  seems  to 
have  considered  carbolic  acid  alone  sufficient,  but  in  deference  to  the 
work  of  the  Committee  on  Disinfectants  of  The  American  Public 
Health  Association,  made  no  objection  to  including  chloride  of  lime 
with  carbolic  acid  in  the  recommendation,  upon  the  representations  of 
Dr.  Sternberg. 
The  aqueous  solutions  of  carbolic  acid  here  recommended  are  very 
easily  made  from  either  the  officinal  crystallized  carbolic  acid,  or  from 
good  impure  carbolic  acid  or  coal-tar  creasote.  When  made  from  the 
latter  they  will  be  better  disinfectants,  but  the  odor  is  much  more  dis- 
agreeable. 
To  make  the  solutions  from  the  crystallized  acid,  or  Phenol,  the  one 
pound  bottle  of  crystals  should  be  melted  by  setting  it  in  warm  water. 
Afluidounce  of  water  should  then  be  added  and  the  contents  be  shaken. 
This  will  serve  to  keep  it  fluid.  Then  the  solution  is  made  as  wanted. 
For  the  2  p.c.  solution  2  measures  to  98  measures  of  water  will  be 
sufficiently  accurate,  and  for  the  5  p.c.  solution  5  measures  to  95  of 
warm  water.  The  solution  of  this  proportion  in  cold  water  is  a  little 
tedious,  but  by  the  use  of  warm  water  it  dissolves  at  once. 
For  continuous  use  about  infectious  cases  it  is  only  necessary  to  keep 
the  strong  solution,  and  a  half  gallon  bottle  can  be  conveniently  made 
at  a  time  by  putting  about  3J  fluidounces  of  the  fluid  acid  in  the  bottle, 
filling  with  warm  water,  and  shaking  well.    This  may  be  repeated  as 
