CHLORINE AS A DISINFECTANT. 131 
According to the most reasonable views, the matter of 
infection is not merely composed of iiighly organized atoms, 
but those atoms are in a transition state, in fact they are 
a ferment. Let us consider, then, what are the means by 
which we may modify or restrain fermentation. Among 
the most powerful agents for tliis purpose are sulphurous 
acid, salts of mercury, volatile, and particularly empyreu- 
matic oils, most aromatic substances, tobacco smoke, vapour 
of roasting coffee, and last, but not least, chlorine, iodine, 
and bromine, to which may be added substances that are 
the result of fermentation, as alcohol, and possibly sulphur- 
etted, phosphuretted, and carburetted hydrogen (?), carbonic 
acid and ammonia. In the "quick vinegar process" intro- 
duced into Germany by MM. Wageman and Schuzenbach, 
although a large quantity of alcohol may be wholly trans- 
formed into vinegar in less than thirty hours, the merest 
trace of wood-vinegar present during the fermentation, 
would entirely put a stop to the process. The complete 
immunity also from contagion enjoyed by several trades 
during the great plague of London, such as tobacconists, 
curriers, tallow chandlers, oilmen, and other oily or greasy 
businesses, is a well-known proof that many substances as 
well as chlorine have a very high'power of resisting the ac- 
tion of infectious^matter, or, in other words, of stopping 
itsTermentation. 
From all this it appears most probable that the action of 
chlorine is twofold : first, decomposing the noxious (not 
infectious) compounds of hydrogen; and, secondly, (the 
most important) suspending the fermentative catalytic") 
power of the organized, but perhaps inodorous material 
that produces infection. If this notion be correct, it would 
follow that any of the above-named substances would have 
their advantages as well as chlorine in the work of disin- 
fection. For instance, camphor has long been supposed to 
have a charm of this sort about it, and probably the incense 
employed by the Jewish Church, according to their law, 
