of glass wool or asbestos. The flask was then inoculated with a small
quantity of previously cultivated hay solution or Pasteur's fluid.
Hydrogen, oxygen, carbonic oxide, marsh-gas, nitrogen, and sulphureted
hydrogen, were without effect on the bacteria. Chlorine and hydric
peroxide (about 7 per cent, of a 5 vol. solution) were fatal to
bacteria. The action of various salts and organic acids in 5 per cent,
solution was tried. Many, including potash, soda, potassic bisulphite,
sodic hyposulphite, potassic chlorate, potassic permanganate, oxalic
acid, acetic acid, glycerin, laudanum, and alcohol, were without effect
on the bacterial life. Others--the alums, ferrous sulphate, ferric
chloride, magnesic and aluminic chlorides, bleaching powder, camphor,
salicylic acid, chloroform, creosote, and carbolic acid--decidedly
arrested the development of bacteria. The author has made a more
extended examination of the action of chloroform, especially as regards
the statement of Muentz, that bacteria cannot exist in the presence of
21/2 per cent, of chloroform, which substance is therefore useful in
distinguishing physiological from chemical ferments. The author
concludes that amounts of chloroform, phenol, and creosote, varying from
1/4 to 3 per cent., do not destroy bacteria, although their functional
activity is decidedly arrested while in contact with these reagents. To
use the author's words, bacteria may be pickled in creosote and carbolic
acid without being deprived of their vitality. The author concludes that
the substances which destroy bacteria are those which are capable of
exerting an immediate and powerful oxidizing action, and that it is
active oxygen, whether from the action of chlorine, ozone, or peroxide
of hydrogen, which must be regarded as the greatest known enemy to
bacteria.

Mr. Hamlet, in replying to some remarks of Messrs. Kingzett and
Williams, said that in all cases the solution which he had used had