Abstract

IN order to avoid any mistaken interpretation of the facts published in various papers1, we wish to state clearly that the ββ′-dichlorethylsulphide we used in our investigations was a very pure colourless liquid of constant melting point prepared from constant-boiling thiodiglycol by the action of hydrochloric acid. It is known that impure mustard gas reacts more readily with—SH groups than the pure substance2. It appeared from the discussion at the recent Congrès de Chimie Biologique (Liège, October 1946), following the presentation of a paper by Prof. R. A. Peters, that our conclusions about the action of the various war toxic gases are generally in close agreement with those of the British and American authors (see ref. 3).

References

1. Bacq, Z. M., Goffart, M., and Angenot, P., Bull. Acad. Roy. Med. Belg., 255 (1940).Bacq, Z. M., and Desreux, V., Acta Biol. Belg., 2, 369 (1942).Bacq, Z. M., Bull. Acad. Roy. Med. Belg., 500 (1942), and also in the press. Bacq, Z. M., and Fischer, P., Bull. Soc. Chim. Biol., 28, 234 (1946).Bacq, Z. M., Experientia, 2, 349 and 385 (1946).Goffart, M., Arch. Intern. Pharm. Thèr., in the press.
2. Herriott, R. M., Anson, M. L., and Northrop, J. H., J. Gen. Physiol., 30, 185 (1946).
3. Bacq, Z. M., "Travaux Récents sur les Toxiques de Guerre: Le BAL", Actualités Biochimiques (Desoer, Liège, 1947).