A handbook on antiseptics / by Henry Drysdale Dakin ... and Edward Kellogg Dunham.

  • Dakin, H. D. (Henry Drysdale), 1880-1952.
Date:
1917
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A handbook on antiseptics / by Henry Drysdale Dakin ... and Edward Kellogg Dunham. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    32/160 (page 18)
    This chlorination of bacterial protein seems to be incompatible with the life of the microdrganism. It is necessary to refer in outline to the nature of this reaction. All proteins, irre- spective of their origin, contain large numbers of amino-acid groups, which may be represented as shown below: (I) H ) H eiule ne ae Nu | xc I I & These groups are capable of attack by substances containing active chlorine in such a way that the hydrogen attached to the nitrogen atom is replaced by chlorine (II). The com- pounds thus formed contain the (NCI) group and hence belong to the class of chloramines. Their chlorine is still active and they are themselves active germicides. Other concomitant reactions also occur which use up part of the chlorine, converting it into an inert form, e.g. the chlorine becomes united to carbon or forms chlorides. This formation of germicidally active chloramines is of importance in several respects. For example, the proteins and other nitrogenous compounds present in wound secre- tions may be converted into chlorine derivatives of antiseptic value by the action of a sufficient quantity of hypochlorite or similar substance.!. While preformed chlorine derivatives 1 Tt is of interest to note that while chlorine, bromine, and iodine have not widely differing germicidal properties, hypobromites and hypoiodites in contrast to hypochlorites have but trivial disinfecting action. Correlated with this fact is the observation that hypochlorites react readily with proteins while hypo- bromites and hypoiodites do not. On the other hand, certain synthetic broma- mines which react readily with amino-acids and proteins have a high germicidal potency. The ability to react with proteins and allied bodies is clearly associated with germicidal activity in members of the halogen group of antiseptics.