Laplace has shown the importance of acidulating sublimate solutions for
general antiseptic use. Neutral solutions on mingling with blood or
other albuminous fluids become more or less inert by the precipitation
of the albuminate of mercury. That precipitate is not formed in the
presence of hydrochloric or tartaric acids. The proportion for
sterilizing wounds should be five parts of the acid to one of the
sublimate in one thousand of water. [Biniodide solutions require no
acid. This is one of the many advantages of the mercuric iodide over the
bichloride for antiseptic use. In a series of experiments made for the
purpose of determining the reaction of biniodide solutions on albuminous
fluids we found that neutral solutions of the biniodide of mercury yield
no precipitate with albuminous fluids. No reaction was obtained with a
biniodide solution acidulated with hydrochloric acid in the proportion
of five parts to the thousand. The addition of organic acids, such as
acetic, citric or tartaric, as is well known, causes a precipitate of
albuminate of mercury. There is no chemical incompatibility between
sublimate soap and biniodide solutions.]