AmMa°ruri876arm-  {     Basicity  of  the  Phosphorus  Acids.  1 09 
lowing  conclusions,  su.bject,  of  course,  to  correction  by  further  ob- 
servations : 
1.  Of  the  four  antiseptics  mentioned,  benzoic  acid  is  effective  in 
the  smallest  quantity,  phenol  and  salicylic  acids  coming  next,  and  be- 
ing about  equal,  while  chloralhydrate,  at  least  in  the  ratio  of  one  part 
in  500,  has  little  or  no  permanent  value. 
2.  Salicylic  and  hydrochloric  acids  combined  are  more  effective  than 
either  of  the  four  mentioned.  How  much  of  this  effect  may  be  due 
to  each,  and  how  much  to  the  combination,  could  only  be  determined 
by  further  trial,  as  also  how  small  a  quantity  of  hydrochloric  acid  would 
be  required.  In  this  experiment,  it  will  be  noticed  that  this  was  used 
in  about  four  times  the  largest  quantity  of  the  other  agents,  as  it  was 
not  expected  to  act  as  an  antiseptic,  but  only  to  aid  the  salicylic  acid, 
preventing  its  extinction  by  the  alkaline  products  of  putrefaction.  Yet> 
if  so  small  a  proportion  (less  than  1  per  cent.)  of  this  acid  could  so  ef- 
fectively retard  decomposition,  the  fact  might  sometimes  be  used  with 
advantage,  as  it  would  in  many  cases  be  convenient  and  unobjection- 
able. 
One  such  experiment,  of  course,  settles  nothing  ;  but  these  results 
are  given  for  what  they  are  worth,  with  the  hope  that  others  may  ex- 
tend and  verify  or  correct  them.  The  effect  of  the  hydrochloric  acid 
in  this  case  was  certainly  unexpected  by  the  experimenter,  and  would 
seem  to  suggest  further  investigation.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  fail- 
ure of  the  chloral  in  this  experiment  does  not  at  all  conflict  with  the 
results  reported  by  T.  Roberts  Baker  to  the  American  Pharmaceut- 
ical Association  at  the  last  meeting,  as  the  weakest  solution  that  he 
found  efficient  was  5  grs.  to  the  fluidounce,  or  25  times  the  strength 
of  any  used  in  this  case,  while  he  found  that  a  2  gr.  solution  only  re- 
tarded decomposition  without  permanently  preventing  it. 
Elmira,  N.  T.9  Feb.,  1876, 
THE  BASICITY  OF  THE  PHOSPHORUS  ACIDS. 
BY  R.  ROTHER. 
Phosphorus,  sulphur,  arsenic  and  antimony  are  possessed  of  certain 
common  characteristics  which  indicate  a  very  close  relationship  between 
them,  and,  although  various  anomalies  spring  from  each  particular 
member  of  the  series,  it  is  nevertheless  plain  that  they  virtually  effect 
the  transition  from  metals  to  metalloids,  and  from  metalloids  to  the 
