Corrosive sublimate is _incompatible_ with
any ordinary soap mass, and this incompatibility includes not only
other soluble mercurial salts, but also almost all the mineral
antiseptics, such as zinc chloride, copper sulphate, iron salts. Some
of the preparations of arsenic may, however, be incorporated with soap
without decomposition.
Such being the chemical facts, we must admit that no reliance can be
placed in corrosive sublimate soaps as germicide agents. It must not
be supposed that this incompatibility interferes with the use of these
soaps for general therapeutic purposes. It is only the specific
germicide value which is destroyed. Since the fats used in soap
manufacture yield oleic acid, we will have a certain amount of
mercuric oleates formed together with stearate and other salts, and
for purposes of inunction these salts might be efficient. Still the
physician would prefer, doubtless, to use the specially prepared
mercurial.
In producing, therefore, a disinfecting soap, being debarred from
using the metallic germicides, we are fortunate in the possession of a
number of efficient agents, organic in character, which may be used
without interference in soaps.
Among these are thymol, naphthol, oil of eucalyptus, carbolates, and
salicylates. There is no chemical incompatibility of these with soap,
and as they are somewhat less active, weight for weight, than
corrosive sublimate, they are capable of use in larger quantities with
less danger, and can thus be made equally efficacious.
Pages:
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154