322 SANITARY ENTOMOLOGY 



cesses to avoid the greater part of the damage. Nuttall (1918) has 

 given a very exhaustive study of the jnethods of steam sterilization, 

 especially with reference to autoclaves, so we will content ourselves with 

 merely citing the most approved formulae. 



a. Live or current steam fumigation was proposed by Stammers, who 

 devised the Serbian barrel. Hunter (1918) has given a rather full 

 description of several of the dominant types. Exposure to live steam 

 20 minutes in any kind of chamber is sufficient if the clothes are loose 

 and permit circulation of the steam. Care must be taken not to over- 

 load. 



The first method described below utilizes the laundry wash wheel and 

 was devised by Pierce, Hutchison and Moscowitz. It is probably the 

 quickest method yet proposed. The three other methods were described 

 by Hunter. 



1. The live steam sterilization in the wash wheel has been described 

 in the discussion of the laundry process, and only requires fifteen minutes. 

 The clothes must not be packed any tighter than for a normal washing 

 load. They must not be tumbled except once in five minutes to remove 

 water of condensation. When taken out of the wheel they should be 

 shaken well before hanging up to dry. 



2. Stammers' barrel disinfection, called the Serbian barrel, is a 

 practicable field disinfector available often where no other sterilization 

 can be carried out. It consists of an old wine barrel with five or six round 

 holes in the bottom, placed on a circular boiler of cast iron or galvanized 

 iron. The space between the boiler and the barrel is filled with a narrow 

 sausage ring filled with sand to prevent escape of the steam except through 

 the barrel. A fire is built in a pit beneath the boiler. Cross bars are 

 placed in the bottom of the barrel to keep the clothes from the holes. 

 When the steam is escaping too hot for the hand, the time required for 

 delousing is one hour. The barrel is covered with a heavy wooden lid. 



3. A galvanized iron bin with water in bottom and a grid to keep 

 the clothes from the water, placed over a fire, will serve for a small 

 quantity of garments on the same principle as the barrel. An ordinary 

 garbage can as used in the army will serve. 



4. In Egypt and Serbia, trains were fitted out and connected by 

 steam pipes from the engine so that steam could be released in the cars 

 through perforated tubes. The steam has exit through cracks about 

 the doors, and reaches within the car a temperature about 105° C. 

 (221° F.). The clothing is placed in bags or on shelves and may almost 

 fill the car. Sterilization lasts one hour. 



b. Enclosed steam has been more commonly used and has likewise 

 been the cause of most of the trouble. It may be applied either at normal 



