Page 254 - My FlipBook

226 THE MICRO-ORGANISMS OF THE HUMAN MOUTH. :

mechanical cleansing has not preceded the antiseptic, its action
npon the centers of decay will be equal to little more than zero.
A great difficulty lies further, in the fact that nearly all mate-
rials which possess antiseptic action are either contraindicated
altogether in the mouth, or that they may be used only in very
dilute solutions, either because they are injurious to the general
health, or locally to the mucous membrane or to the teeth them-
selves. Finally, many otherwise useful antiseptics are excluded
because of their bad taste and smell.
For these reasons the preparation of a mouth-wash which pos-
sesses an antiseptic action of any importance is accompanied by
the greatest difficulties.
Determinations of the antiseptic power of different materials
have been made in great number. Some of them which refer
especially to those materials which are made use of in the human
mouth may find place here.
Koch ^^^ found for anthrax bacilli the following numbers

Evident retardation Complete prevention
of the development of the development
was produced by a concentration of
Thymol .... . . 1000000 1 : 300000
Sublimate
.
.
80000
Oil of turpentine 7500O
Oil of peppermint . 33000
Chromic acid . 10000 1 : 5000
Iodine .... 5000
Oil of cloves
.
5000
Salicylic acid . 3300 1 : 1500
Oil of eucalyptus : 2500
Camphor .... 2500 1 : 1700
Hydrochloric acid
.
2500
Benzoic acid . 2000
Permanganate of potash . 1400
Carbolic acid . 1250 1 : 850
Chinin .... 1250 1 1 : 800
Boric acid
830
: 625
Ben zoate of sodium 200
Alcohol .... 100 1 : 25
Table-salt 64
According to Miquel, the development of bacteria in bouillon
is prevented by the following antiseptics in the given concentra-
tion :