THE EFFECT OF PURE SOAPS ON THE BACTERICIDAL PROPERTIES OF PHENOLIC GERMICIDES

Abstract

The marked inhibitory action of sodium oleate, sodium myristate, potassium palmitate and potassium stearate on the bactericidal properties of phenol, meta-cresol, secondary butyl phenol, n-butyl resorcinol and n-hexyl resorcinol is demonstrated. The relationship appears to be more or less quantitative and indicates the impossibility of producing a germicidal soap by adding small quantities of a phenolic compound to soap. The addition of large quantities of a phenolic disinfectant is not feasible, since the cost of production precludes the use of any but very crude and irritating phenols. Phenols are therefore unsuitable as disinfectant agents in production of germicidal soaps. The germicidal activity of a phenolic compound is interfered with more extensively by the disperse phase than by the gel phase of soaps. Several theories to explain the inhibitive action of soaps on bactericidal activity of phenols are discussed. Evidence is introduced to show that the soap removes the phenolic substance from the solution and thereby interferes with its bactericidal activity, since this activity is dependent on the solution of the phenol in water.