1. The chlorides of different metals, earths, or bases:
Chlorides of the alkalies, Chlorides of iron, Chlorides of copper, Chlorides of manganese, Chlorides of zinc, Chlorides of aluminium, Chlorides of lime, Chlorides of mercury, and, in fact, all chlorides which are soluble.
2. All soluble sulphates, especially sulphates of iron and aluminium.
3. All soluble sulphites.
4. Some acetates, as acetate of iron.
5. Some nitrates, such as the nitrates of potash and soda.
6. Certain agents which appear to arrest putrefaction or condense certain gases, &c., without either destruction or oxidation:
Carbolic acid, Tar acids, Charcoal, Great cold, Heat sufficient to dry organic substances, but not to char them.
7. Preservative liquids and solutions. Many of these act by coagulating the alb.u.men of organised bodies:
Antiseptics, Alcohol, Solutions of corrosive sublimate, Solutions of common salt, Solutions of saltpetre.
8. Destructive agents. Not true disinfectants, they act not by disinfection, but by destruction:
A dry heat of 200 to 400 F., The strong undiluted acids and alkalies.
9. Agents which act in many ways, partly by condensing gases, partly by absorbing moisture, and partly by a peculiar action on organic matter a.n.a.logous to tannin:
Dry earths, Clays, The natural and artificial compounds of aluminium.
The table on the next page is a summary by the late Dr Letheby of some experiments made by Drs Dougall and Calvert, with the view of determining the relative powers possessed by certain substances of arresting putrefaction, as measured by their action in preventing the germination of animalcules and fungi, and the development of vaccine lymph.[258]
[Footnote 258: 'On the Relative Power of various Substances in Preventing the Germination of Animalculae,' by John Dougall, 1871. Calvert, 'Proceedings of the Royal Society,' vol. xx, p. 185.]
=Disinfecting Compounds.= 1. (Sir WM. BURNETT'S DISINFECTING LIQUID.) A concentrated solution of chloride of zinc. See ZINC.
2. (COLLINS' DISINFECTING POWDER.) A mixture of dry chloride of lime, 2 parts, and burnt alum, 1 part. Used either dry or moistened with water.
See LIME.
3. (CONDY'S DISINFECTING FLUIDS.) Solutions of the alkaline manganates and permanganates. Although this is an excellent and rapid deodoriser, and makes a most serviceable dressing for fetid sores, it must be borne in mind that it is in no sense an aerial disinfectant, its action being limited to the solid or liquid matters only with which it is brought into immediate contact. It exercises no corrosive action, but it is open to the objection that it leaves a brown stain upon linen. See MANGANESE.
4. (ELLERMAN'S DEODORISING FLUID.) This is said to consist chiefly of the perchlorides and chlorides of iron and manganese.
"In a report addressed to the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1859, Drs Hoffmann and Frankland stated that the perchloride of iron was the cheapest and most efficient deodoriser that could be applied to sewage."
(Beasley.)
5. (LABARRAQUE'S DISINFECTING SOLUTION; LIQUOR SODae CHLORINATae, Ph. L. & D.) A solution of chlorinated soda, or, as it is commonly called, 'chloride of soda.' M. Labarraque made known this valuable disinfectant in 1822, and obtained the prize of the French 'Society for Encouraging National Industry' for its introduction.
6. (LEDOYEN'S DISINFECTING FLUID.) A solution of nitrate of lead, 1 part, in about 8 parts of water; or, of litharge, 13-1/2 oz., in nitric acid (sp. gr. 138), 12 oz., previously diluted with water, 6 pints. Sp. gr.
140.
7. (SIRET'S DISINFECTING COMPOUNDS.)--_a._ A mixture of sulphate of lime, 53 lbs., sulphate of iron, 40 lbs., sulphate of zinc, 7 lbs., and peat charcoal, 2 lbs., made into b.a.l.l.s.
_b._ Sulphate of iron, 20 parts; sulphate of zinc, 10 parts; tan or waste oak-bark (in powder), 4 parts; tar and oil, of each 1 part; as before.
Used for deodorising cesspools, &c.
8. (BISULPHIDE OF CARBON.) This generates, when burnt, sulphurous acid, and is, therefore, a very valuable disinfectant. Its highly inflammable nature, however, renders the adoption of certain precautions necessary in its use. A method of employing it in the form of fumigation will be found under the article "Fumigation."
9. Dry salicylic acid volatilised from a hot plate purifies the air, and perfectly disinfects the walls of a closed room. (VON HEYDEN.)
10. "SANITAS" is the name given by Mr Kingzett, its discoverer, to a new liquid antiseptic and disinfectant, containing peroxide of hydrogen and camphoric acid, and obtained by the atmospheric oxidation of turpentine.
Sanitas is said by its inventor to possess the great advantages of being non-poisonous, and to exercise no injurious effects either on clothing or furniture. It is stated that its antiseptic power is distributed between the peroxide of hydrogen and camphoric acid, the peroxide of hydrogen being able to evolve large quant.i.ties of oxygen, which in this state is nascent, and of a powerful and oxidising character.
11. COOPER'S UNIVERSAL DISINFECTING POWDER. According to Professor w.a.n.klyn this powder contains 70 per cent. of mixed chloride of sodium and chloride of calcium, and about 6 per cent. of anhydrous sulphate of zinc (equal to about 12 per cent. of hydrated sulphate), a little insoluble matter, and 15 per cent. of moisture.
12. DR BOND'S CUPRALUM AND FERRALUM. The first of these disinfectants is stated to be a mixture of the sulphates of copper and aluminium, with pota.s.sic dichromate and turpentine. Its inventor claims for it that it possesses great power of coagulating alb.u.men and high value both as an antiseptic and deodorant. FERRALUM is a mixture of ferrous and aluminic sulphates, turpentine, and carbolic acid. Its chief use is for flushing sewers and in deodorising cesspools, urinals, &c.
13. BAYARD'S DISINFECTANT. A mixture of sulphate of iron, clay, lime, and coal tar.
_Summary of the Experiments made by_ DR J. DOUGALL, _and by_ DR CRACE CALVERT, _on the action of various Antiseptics on Protoplasmic and Fungus Life, and on Vaccine Lymph._
KEY: A - Quant.i.ty required to prevent Animalcules in six days.
B - Number of Days before Life appeared in a solution containing 1 of substance in 500 water and 1/2 drachm of following-- C - Number of Days before Vibrio Life appeared in a solution of Alb.u.men containing 1 of substance in 1000 of solution.
D - Beef Juice.
E - Sol. of Egg Alb.u.men.
F - Reaction of the Solution.
G - Infusion of Hay.
H - Human Urine.
I - Beef Juice and Egg Alb.u.men.
J - Average of all.
K - Effect on Animalcules in Putrid Beef Juice and Egg Alb.u.men, when added in proportion in third column.
L - Animalcules.
M - Fungi.
N - Animalcules.
O - Fungi.
P - Effect of the Vapour or Gas during 24 hrs. on Vaccine Lymph.
Q - Animalcules.
R - Putrid Odour.
S - Fungi.
T - Mouldy Odour.
-------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------------
EXPERIMENTS BY DR CRACE
EXPERIMENTS MADE BY DR JOHN DOUGALL, OF GLASGOW.
CALVERT.
+--------+-------------------+------+-----------------------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------
A
B
C
----+----+----+----+ +-----------------+--------+--------+
-------+-------+-------+-------
D
E
--------+--------+--------+--------+
Substances used.
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T -------------------+--------+----+----+----+----+------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------
1 in
1 in
1 in
1 in
Acids.
Mineral.
Sulphurous
Acid.
250
50
50
117
Death.
24
4 P.
8
Over 100
Killed.
11
Over 40
21
Over 40 Nitric
"
400
400
200
333
"
18
4 P.
15
5 T.
"
10
50
10
23 Hydrochloric
"
500
400
100
333
"
28
4 P.
9
Over 100
"
--
--
--
-- Sulphuric
"
800
500
100
467
"
Over 100
Over 100
30
10 T.
--
9
--
9
11 Chromic
"
4000
1400
1200
2200
--
78
38 P.
Over 100
Over 100
--
--
--
--
-- Organic.
Carbolic
Neutral.
300
300
200
267
None.
12
50 T.
38
36 P.
None.
Over 40
Over 40
Over 40
Over 40 Cresylic
"
--
--
--
--
"
--
--
--
--
"
"
"
"
"
Acetic
Acid.
350
25
10
125
--
--
--
--
--
Killed.
30
--
9
50 Picric
"
350
350
350
350
Death.
44
11 P.
Over 100
44 P.
--
17
Over 40
19
Over 40 Benzoic
"
700
700
200
533
"
Over 100
Over 100
"
Over 100
--
--
--
--
-- -------------------+--------+----+----+----+----+------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+------- Alkalies.
Lime
Alk.
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
13
19
Over 40
Over 40 Potash
"
300
50
10
120
Death.
--
--
--
--
--
16
--
--
-- Soda
"
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
23
31
18
29 Ammonia
"
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
24
50
20
Over 40 -------------------+--------+----+----+----+----+------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+------- Haloids.
Iodine tincture
Neutral.
400
400
50
283
Death.
1
80 T.
15
Over 100
--
--
--
--
-- Chlorine gas
Acid.
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
Killed.
7
21
21
-- Chloride lime
Alk.
200
200
25
142
Death.
27
27 T.
40
Over 100
"
7
18
16
-- Chloride zinc
Acid.
300
300
300
300
"
4
Over 100
18
"
--
Over 40
Over 40
50
Over 40 Chloride aluminum
"
2000
500
300
933
--
19
4 P.
Over 100
8 P.
--
10
"
21
50 -------------------+--------+----+----+----+----+------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+------- Sulphates, &c.
Bisulphite lime
Acid.
100
50
25
58
Death.
4
92 T.
9
Over 100
--
11
21
14
Over 40 Sulphate zinc
"
300
300
200
267
"
30
4 P.
90
70 P.
--
--
--
--
-- Sulphate iron
"
500
500
100
367
?
14
5 T.
35
40 T.
--
7
Over 40
15
-- Common alum
"
800
500
100
467
--
14
3 P.
38
15 T.
--
--
--
--
-- Sulphate copper
"
1000
1000
800
933
Death.
86
20 P.
Over 100
Over 100
--
--
--
--
-- -------------------+--------+----+----+----+----+------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+------- Permanganate potash
Neutral.
500
200
125
275
None.
--
--
--
--
--
9
50
22
Over 40 Alcohol
"
350
50
20
140
Death.
4
4 T.
10
Over 100
--
--
--
--
-- Camphor
"
300
150
50
167
None.
--
--
--
--
None.
--
--
--
-- Turpentine
"
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
14
Over 40
42
Over 40 -------------------+--------+----+----+----+----+------+--------+--------+--------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------
Note.--In the _first_ set of Dr John Dougall's experiments 3 drachms of a solution of the strength mentioned were treated with 1 drachm of a filtered infusion of hay, or with half a drachm of urine or half a drachm of the mixture of beef juice and egg-alb.u.men. In the _second_ set of experiments equal parts of a putrid solution of beef juice and egg-alb.u.men, full of living animalcules, and of the solution of the various substances of the strength known to be preventive of life (as in third column), were mixed together, and the results immediately noted. In the _third_ set of experiments 3-1/2 drachms of distilled water, containing 1 in 500 of the substances named, were treated with half a drachm of filtered beef juice, or half a drachm of a solution consisting of 1 part white of egg to 4 parts water. In the _last_ set of experiments, separate minims of vaccine lymph were exposed to the several vapours for 24 hours, and the dried spot in each case was moistened with glycerin and water, and sealed in a capillary tube until an opportunity for vaccination occurred, when the whole of the diluted lymph was used in one insertion so as to ensure its full effect.
In Dr Crace Calvert's experiments, 0026 of a gramme of the substance was added to 26 grammes (1 to 1000) of a solution of alb.u.men containing 1 part white of egg to 4 parts _pure_ distilled water.
The Animalcules observed were Monads (microphymes), Vibrios, and their cell segments (microerphymes), Bacteria (microzymes), Amba, &c.; and the Fungi were Torula, Mycelium, Penicilium, &c., indicated in Table by letters T and P. Putrefaction was always characterised by a putrid odour, an alkaline reaction, and the presence of animalcules; whereas Mouldiness and Fermentation were distinguished by a mouldy or musty odour, an acid reaction, and the presence of Fungi.