EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS 345 



diseases are confined largely to the alimentary tract and are disseminated becanse 

 no attention is given to the disinfection of discharges. Some contagions diseases 

 also give off the contagion through the urinary tract. It is because contagious dis- 

 eases are so frequently disseminated by means of excreta that the necessity for 

 proper disinfection is urged. The diseases of antlirax, tuberculosis and typhoid 

 fever are known to be scattered through the excreta. The germs of hog cholera, 

 chicken cholera and similar diseases find their exit from the animal through fre- 

 quent discharges. On account of this common means of dissemination, the wide- 

 spread infection of the above diseases may find a partial answer. 



Perhaps the best means of dealing Avith excreta is to confine animals in a small 

 compass and thus prevent them from running at large. This will permit the use 

 of chloride of lime, slack lime and carbolic acid in sutticient quantities to be effective. 

 If animals are allowed to run in large fields, the fecal matter should be collected 

 and disinfected. This will not only lessen the danger of spreading the disease, but 

 will pprrait the sun to act, where the droppings have been removed. 



DISINFECTION OF SPUTA. 



This may seemingly apply to a greater degree to human sputa than to the dis- 

 charges from the mouth and nostrils of animals. There is no doubt connected with 

 the dissemination of diseases, through the expectoration from patients, and if we are 

 to judge from the limited examinations of bovine tuberculous sputa, we have no hes- 

 itancy in saying that this source of contagion is by no means barren. It is a recog- 

 nized fact that the rubbing of noses practiced bj; cattle is no less a deleterious 

 practice than that of promiscuous kissing practiced in human society. There is 

 only one conclusion following from this; that is, complete Isolation of 'animals 

 suffering from contagious diseases and so far as possible keeping the discharges 

 of mouth and nosti'ils under control by the use of disinfectants. Human subjects 

 are either provided with a paraffined envelope or a well-stoppered bottle, whicli 

 receives the sputum, and in the house with a cuspidor containing some disinfect- 

 ant, as bi-chloride or carbolic acid. This brings the sputum absolutely under the 

 conti'ol of tiie individual, and prevents the scattering of contagion. 



DISINFECTION OF THE HANDS. 



Farmers often are obliged to disinfect their hands after post-mortem work, and 

 should do so when assisting in operations on animals or whenever there is a possi- 

 bility of carrying infectious material by means of the hands. It is not my purpose to 

 give elaborate methods more suitable for surgeons than for the practical farmer, but 

 we wish to give simple methods of cleansing, which can easily be carried out. 

 First of all, the finger nails should be cleansed and brushed with soap and water, 

 removing every particle of dirt so far as possibit- and the hands thoroughly cleaned. 

 Wlien this has beeit done, wash the hands thoroughly in a soltition of mercuric 

 cldoride, the strength of one to one thousand, or of carbolic acid, the strength of 

 three per cent. Allow these solutions to dry spontaneously and never use a towel. 

 If it is desired to keep the hands practically sterile, do not allow them to touch any- 

 thing until ready for work. 



DISINFECTION OF THE PERSON OR ANIMAL. 



To disinfect an individual who has been associated with contagion or who is 

 convalescing from some contagious disease, simply means giving him a bath in a two 

 per cent solution of carbolic acid or a solution of corrosive sublimate, the strength of 

 which should be one to one thousand. These solutions should be brought in contact 

 with every part of the body, but not in contact with any mucuous surface. For 

 mucuous surfaces use a ten per cent solution of boracic acid. 



LITERATURE CONSULTED. 



Bosc— Ann. de I'lnstitut Pasteur T. X. 1896, p. 283. 



Crookshank — "Bacteriology and Infective Diseases." 



Novy and Waite— Teachers Sanitary Bulletin (April, 1S98), State Board of Health; 

 Mich. 



Parks— Sanitarian— Yol. xi, 1898— No. 34.3. 



Pfuhl— Zeit. f. Hyg. Bd. xxii S. 339. 



Proceedings and addresses of the second annual conference of the health officers 

 in Michigan. 



Roux and Trillot— Ann. de I'lnstitute Pasteur T. X. 1890. p. 283. 



Sternberg — "Text-Book of B.TcterioIogy." 



44 



