100 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS technique described by Pillsbury and Nichols (81), it was found that the reduction of the bacterial population in the test subjects' axillae ranged from 95 to over 99 per cent following application twice a day. While this effect was achieved almost immediately, it was abolished within seventy-two hours after discontinuing the use of the two formulations tested. The findings as to the decrease of axil-lary odor and its restoration to pre-test intensity parallel those made with respect to the bacterial flora. Incidentally, as to control of body odor by hexachlorophene, Blank and Barker (82) express the view that some of the products of secretion of the skin glands may have an odor of their own, and that, obviously, such an odor would not be affec•:ed by a reduction of the cutane- ous bacterial population. However, in view of the findings of Shelley and associates, referred to before, the factor of the secretory odor can hardly compare in its significance with that caused by bacterial action. Another thought is suggested by the experimental data reported in Gump's paper, viz., that the application of hexachlorophene and of other bis-phenols by means of soaps and detergents may not be the most effective method to achieve degerming and deodorant action. It may be sur- mised that detergency interferes with the deposition upon, and retention by the skin of these chemicals consequently, their cutaneous reservoir is built up only gradually, by small increments. It would seem more effective to produce the desired result by means of vehicles, such as suitable lotions or creams, etc., which would be left on the skin rather than removed by washing this procedure would have the added point of placing the remedial agent directly in the area where a degerming and deodorant effect is desired, as, e.g., in the axillary fossae. A chlorinated salicyl anilide with the formula: C1.C6H3(OH)CO.NH. C6H3C1,. introduced under the name Anobial © is effective as a degerming and deodorant agent when incorporated in soap to the extent of 1.5 per cent. In the absence of soap, .e.g, in lotions or powders, 0.1 to 0.3 per cent is said to suffice (83). Only a passing mention is indicated here of the use in soap of 2,4-di- chloro-3,$-dimethyl phenol, also known as dichlorometaxylenol or D.C.M.X. This chemical is being credited with imparting a degerming action to soaps although opinion is strongly divided as to its efficacy in this respect. No tests on the deodorant action of D.C.M.X. or its combination with soap appear to have been carried out. For a review of the current status of this chemical, the paper by Lewis (83) should be referred to. A chemical of a totally different character, which has gained prominence in the more recent past as a degerming and a deodorant agent, is tetramethylthiuram disulfide or TMTD for short. Its formula is (CH3)2- N. CS. S--S- CS. N(CH3),.. By itself, it has a strongly inhibitory effect upon pathogenic.bacteria and fungi, as shown by Miller and Elson (84). These

ASPECTS OF ANTIPERSPIRANTS AND DEODORANTS 101 authors subjected a whole series of dithiocarbamates and their thiuram sulfide derivatives to a systematic in vitro study which has been suggested by the existing extensive information as to their antimicrobial and chemother- apeuric activity in the botanical area. Actually, TMTD was found to be the most effective bacteriostatic and fungistatic agent among those tested, as illustrated, e.g., by its maximum inhibitory dilutions of 1:160,- 000 for Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus and for T. gypseum the inhibi- tion of E. co/i requires the lower dilution of 1:20,000. Incorporated in soap, TMTD compared favorably with hexachlorophene and bithionol in its capacity to reduce the cutaneous flora in fact, it was superior to either, as claimed by Vinson (85). This finding is in agreement with the observed ability of the TMTD-soap combination to inhibit effec- tively the growth of Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus it is active, inciden- tally, also against gram-negative micro•Srganisms such as E. coli and S. typhi (not normally indigenous to the skin) which are not affected by the bis-phenols. As to the deodorant action in the axillary area, it was found that even a single wash with TMTD (1 per cent) -soap yielded a significant improvement which remained in evidence for two days, in the majority of the test cases. Additional information on TMTD-soap has been supplied by Baer and Rosenthal (86) who observed a very substantial reduction of both the transient and the resident bacterial flora on the hands, after one week's use of it significantly, lower counts were still being obtained two days after the use of the TMTD-soap had been discontinued, but normal condi- tions were again in evidence seven days after withdrawal. Like Vinson, so also Baer and Rosenthal attribute a better degerming capacity to a 1 per cent TMTD-soap than to a 2 per cent hexachlorophene soap. It is surmised from tests on dermatologic patients that' normal skin should show satisfactory tolerance for this soap. No direct olfactory tests were conducted by Baer and Rosenthal on its deodorant effect. The utilization of antibotics represents a recent development in the field of deodorant preparations. One such product, a cream, has reached the market it contains tyrothricin as active ingredient which is claimed to have a prolonged controlling action upon odor-causing bacteria. While no clinical data appear to have been published on the deodorant perform- ance of tyrothricin, Ferguson (87) reported upon the suppression of axillary odor by means of Aureomycin (applied in the form of a 3 per cent ointment) he also referred to a personal communication received from Rodriguez on the successful application of Neomycin for the same purpose. Total suppression of bacterial growth in the Aureomycin treated axillae was observed in eight out of ten subjects in two cases partial control was obtained. For obvious reasons, Ferguson cautions against the use in deodorants of