ArebJruaryTf898m"}    Recent  Literature  Relating  to  Pharmacy.  117 
FORMALDEHYDE  AS  A  DISINFECTANT. 
In  a  communication  to  The  New  York  Medical  Journal^  in  its  issue 
of  October  16th,  Alvah  H.  Doty,  M.D.,  health  officer  of  the  port  of 
New  York,  gives  the  results  of  a  series  of  elaborate  and  carefully- 
conducted  experiments,  which  were  begun  about  a  year  ago  and 
continued  until  the  present  time,  in  the  New  York  Quarantine  Sta- 
tion, for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  value  of  formaldehyde  as  a 
disinfectant. 
The  tests  were  made  with  the  view  of  ascertaining  the  penetrating 
action  of  the  gas,  as  well  as  its  germicidal  action  upon  exposed  sur- 
faces; and,  in  order  to  accomplish  this  result,  the  micro-organisms 
used  were  not  only,  exposed  directly  to  the  gas,  but  were  placed 
inside  of  sterilized  blankets,  newspapers  and  other  packages  before 
exposure  to  the  disinfectant.  And  in  order  to  determine  its  effi- 
ciency for  quarantine  work,  pathogenic  organisms,  which  were  kept 
at  the  highest  degree  of  virulence,  were  used.  These  were  the 
cholera,  anthrax  and  diphtheria  bacilli,  and  the  bacillus  of  the 
plague. 
The  several  sources  now  available  for  the  production  of  formalde- 
hyde gas  for  disinfection  were  enumerated  by  the  author  about  as 
follows : 
(1)  From  a  commercial  product,  known  as  formaldehyde  (forma- 
lin, formol),  said  to  be  a  40  per  cent,  solution  of  formaldehyde  gas 
in  water.  The  exact  method  of  its  production  is  not  explained  by 
the  manufacturers.  It  occurs  as  a  clear,  colorless  fluid,  having  a 
characteristic  odor  and  very  irritating  to  the  mucous  membranes  of 
the  eyes  and  respiratory  tract. 
(2)  From  the  combination  of  the  above-described  formaldehyde 
solution  (formalin)  and  chloride  of  calcium  placed  in  a  closed  recep- 
tacle or  autoclave.  By  the  application  of  heat,  the  gas  contained  in 
the  autoclave  is  given  off  in  a  dry  state  and  conducted  through  a 
tube  to  the  apartment  to  be  disinfected. 
(3)  The  generation  of  formaldehyde  gas  by  the  oxidation  of 
methyl  or  wood  alcohol  in  a  lamp  constructed  for  this  purpose. 
(4)  By  the  heating  of  paraformaldehyde  in  the  form  of  tablets 
(paraform). 
A  portion  of  the  experiments  were  conducted  on  a  disinfecting 
vessel  provided  with  air-tight  chambers.  One  of  these  is  so  con- 
structed that  a  vacuum  can  be  produced  in  it  before  the  admission 
