BIOLOGY. 253 



the discharges from cholera patients, and to purify privies and 

 drains. Dissolve 8 or 10 pounds of the copperas in a common 

 pailful of water, and pour this strong solution into the privy, 

 water-closet, or drain, every hour, if cholera discharges have been 

 thrown in those places ; but for ordinary use, to keep privies or 

 water-closets from becoming offensive, pour a pint of this solution 

 into every water-closet pan or privy seat every night and morning. 

 If there is cholera in the house or in the district, let carbolic acid be 

 added to this iron solution : one-half pint of the fluid acid to 5 



fallons of the solution. Bed-pans and chamber-vessels are best 

 isinfected with this mixed solution, using a gill at a time. 



" Permanganate of Potassa to be used in disinfecting clothing 

 and towels from cholera and fever patients, during the night, or 

 when such articles cannot be instantly boiled. Throw the soiled 

 articles immediately into a tub of water in which there has been 

 dissolved an ounce of the permanganate salt to every 3 gallons of 

 water. Boil the clothing as soon as it is removed from this colored 

 solution. 



" Carbolic Add (fluid} may be diluted at the rate of from 40 

 to 100 parts of water to 1 of the fluid acid. Use this solution for 

 the same purposes as copperas is used ; also to sprinkle upon any 

 kind of garbage or decaying matter, and on foul surfaces, or in 

 drains. 



"When used to disinfect clothing, carbolic acid of good quality 

 should be thoroughly mixed with its own quantity of strong vine- 

 pir, and next be dissolved in 200 times its own quantity of water, 

 before the clothing is immersed in it. This mixture with vinegar 

 insures such complete solution of the carbolic acid that the cloth- 

 ing will not be * burned ' by undissolved drops of acid when disin- 

 fected in the carbolic water. This weak solution (1 part to 200) 

 will not injure common clothing. But to destroy clothing, as well 

 as infection, instantly, use the acid diluted only 10 to 30 times its 

 own quantity of water. 



"The disinfecting and antiseptic power of good carbolic acid is 

 so great that 1 part of it to 50 or 100 parts of water is sufficient 

 for ordinary purposes. 



"For drains, sewers, foul-heaps, stables, and privies, the cheap 

 * dead oil ' of coal tar, or the crude carbolic acid, answers every 

 purpose when freely applied. Coal tar itself is available as a dis- 

 infectant to paint upon the walls of stables, privy vaults, .and 

 drains. By mixing Avith sawdust or dry lime, coal tar or crude 

 acid may be used on foul grounds or heaps of refuse. 



" Boiling or high-steam Heat. Whenever foul clothing and in- 

 fected things can be boiled, or have a boiling heat steadily applied 

 and kept up for an hour, this is one of the simplest and best modes 

 of disinfection. But until such high heat is actually applied to the 

 infected things, some one of the disinfecting solutions must be 

 used. A common steam tub (in a laundry or elsewhere) with a 

 tight cover is a good disinfecting vat." 



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