^"^■jan.';'i8S^^°^'}    Influence  of  Saccharin  upon  Ferments.  27 
In  the  former  no  hindrance  was  effected  by  saccharin,  and  even  in 
large  proportions  it  failed  to  appreciably  affect  the  value  and  activity 
of  the  proteolytic  ferment. 
On  starch,  however,  saccharin  was  found  to  interfere  very  materi- 
ally with  the  amylolytic  property  of  the  ferment,  and  ten  times  the 
amount  of  ferment  was  required  ;  but  it  was  also  found  that  if  sodic 
bicarbonate  were  present  in  sufficient  amount  to  neutralize  the  saccha- 
rin, no  appreciable  retardation  took  place. 
Diastase. — Again  saccharin  showed  a  distinct  retarding  action,  more 
than  double  the  quantity  of  diastasic  ferment  being  required  to  effect 
the  same  amount  of  conversion  of  starch  as  the  ferment  without  sac- 
charin performed.  At  a  meeting  of  the  Manchester  Medical  Society 
Dr.  Dreschfeld  stated  that  saccharin  increases  the  diastasic  power  of 
malt.  This  is  only  true  if  the  saccharin  is  first  neutralized  with 
alkali ;  the  increase  then,  however,  is  very  slight. 
Papain. — Saccharin  failed  to  affect  to  any  marked  extent  the  action 
of  a  sample  of  papain  upon  moist  fibrin.  The  two  experiments,  the 
one  with,  and  the  other  without  saccharin,  were  stopped  before  com- 
plete conversion  had  taken  place,  and  the  undissolved  portion  filtered, 
dried  and  Aveighed,  showed  a  difference  of  only  a  few  grains  against 
the  saccharin  experiment. 
In  view  of  the  increasing  uses  of  saccharin  it  is  important  to  note 
that  its  antifermentive  influence  is  to  a  great  extent  neutralized  by  the 
use  of  alkali,  especially  when  it  is  employed  with  the  amylolytic  fer- 
ments ;  but  it  hardly  seems  so  essential  with  the  proteolytic  ferments. 
Professor  Salkowsky^  reports  that  the  antiseptic  property  of  saccha- 
rin is  greatly  dimished  when  neutralized ;  in  that  case  it  appears  that 
saccharin,  like  benzoic  and  salicylic  acids,  is  deprived  in  a  marked  de- 
gree of  its  power  of  affecting  the  ferments  when  it  loses  both  its  acid 
nature  and  antisepticity. — Phar.  Jour,  and  Trans.,  December  3, 1887, 
p.  471. 
Oat  flour  ill  tlie  treatment  of  burns  is  recommended  by  Greene 
[Brit.  Med.  Jour.  N.  Y.  Med.  Jour.),  on  the  score  of  its  fi^eedom  from  odor,  its 
soothing  and  anti-  septic  properties,  its  superior  healing  power,  its  cheapness,, 
and  the  ease  with  which  it  can  generally  be  obtained  at  short  notice.  He 
directs  a  paste  to  bemade  of  equal  parts  of  the  flour  and  fresh  (unsalted)  lard, 
to  be  applied  spread  on  lint  or  old  calico,  the  application  to  be  renewed  every 
day,  or  every  second  day,  according  to  the  exigencies  of  the  case. 
^  Chem.  Zeitwng,  December  6,  1886. 
