Abstract
Leonard 1 , 2 in his studies on some alkyl derivatives of resorcinol reported excellent results from hexylresorcinol when used as a urinary disinfectant. He stated that, “Hexylresorcinol, a stable organic substance of known chemical constitution, is the most powerful germicide ever described as a non-toxic substance. Hexylresorcinol is non-toxic by mouth and is administered in repeated doses for indefinite periods.” Leonard and Wood, 3 Leonard and Frobisher, 4 Frobisher 5 and Leonard and Feirer 6 found that hexylresorcinol was a powerful surface tension depressant and that its remarkable germicidal property was probably dependent upon this physical property.
In previous papers of this series 7 , 8 , 9 comparisons were made of the resistance of Staphylococcus aureus and embryonic chick heart tissue to Merthiolate, Metaphen, Mercurochrome and phenol. A Staphylococcus aureus phenol coefficient and a toxicity index were determined for each germicide. The methods followed were the same as those described in the first communication. 7
The highest dilution of phenol required to kill Staphylococcus aureus in 10 minutes but not in 5 minutes was 1:65. For Hexylresorcinol it was 1:7,000. This gave Hexylresorcinol a Staphylococcus aureus phenol coefficient of 108.
Leonard, 1 , 2 Leonard and Wood 3 and Leonard and Feirer 6 reported Staphylococcus aureus phenol coefficients ranging from 46 to 72 when tested by other methods. Leonard 1 , 2 stated that in an acid urine (pH 6.0–6.4) Hexylresorcinol in a dilution of 1:60,000 killed Staphylococcus aureus in 1 hour and a 1:70,000 dilution killed in 24 hours. In an alkaline urine (pH 7.6–8.2) a 1:18,000 dilution of the germicide killed Staphylococcus aureus in 1 hour; a 1:60,000 dilution killed in 24 hours. Leonard and Feirer 6 found that a 30% solution of glycerin in water, containing 1 mg. of Hexylresorcinol per cc. was a very effective germicidal solution.
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