355 FUMIGATIONS TO DESTROY CONTAGION* 



Their capacity is commonly about 40 or 45 centil. [14 or 

 15 oz.] ; and their stopples, which are made to fit tight, arc 

 3 cent. [1*18 inch] or more in diameter. 



It is obvious, that by putting into one of these phials 

 6 centil. [2*22 oz.] of each of the two acids, and 24 gram. 

 [370 grs.] of black oxide of manganese, we shall readily 

 obtain a reservoir of gas for destroying infection. The 

 only thing to be apprehended, against which the apparatus 

 above described is secure, is that the stopple, being secured 

 only by its weight and the friction of the neck, should be 

 forced out by the elasticity of the gas: but this maybe pre- 

 vented by loading the stopple with a heavy cap of lead. 

 Method of No farther direction need be given respecting the mode of 



using them, using these reservoirs of gas for destroying contagion, than 

 to open them when it is deemed requisite, and to close them 

 as soon as the persons nearest at hand begin to be affected 

 by them. After this we may rely on the spontaneous ex- 

 pansion of the portion set at liberty. The effect will be 

 such, that, if the vessel have remained open only four or 

 five minutes, those who come into the room an hour after 

 by the remotest door will immediately perceive, that oxigen- 

 ized muriatic acid gas has been extricated. 

 Advantages of You will be of opinion assuredly, that of all the pro- 

 the oxununatic cesses adopted for fumigation this is the most simple, the 

 least liable to accident, and the best adapted to common 

 use: and when you consider, that the gas it sets inaction 

 is acknowledged to be the most efficacious, even by those 

 who have appeared to dread its activity, because they were 

 unacquainted with the means of moderating it at will; and 

 lastly, if you adopt the decided opinion of several profes- 

 sional gentlemen, that this gas has the property of exciting 

 the vital powers above all other acidgasses; you will per- 

 haps think with me, that when the petty passions are ex- 

 hausted by struggling against conviction, the oxigenized 

 muriatic acid gas will be adopted in preference as the pri- 

 mary antidote to contagion, and its extemporaneous pre- 

 paration will be the most common resource in the regimen 

 of health. 



IX. Account 



