398 On the Preparation of Gafes 



and placed upon fome bricks, or wet fand, in the middle of 

 the floor. After the people have been removed, and the 

 windows, &c. clofely fhut, the compoiition is to be fet on fire 

 by a live coal. During the combuftion a great quantity of 

 fulphuEous acid gas, mixed with fulphuric acid in the ftate of 

 vapour, is difengaged, and concentrated to fuch a degree as 

 to force its way into the fmalleft apertures. 



In the common method of burning fulphur it is impoffible 

 to concentrate the fulphurous acid in this manner, as the 

 combuftion ceafes when the pure air in the room, &c. is 

 nearly confirmed; but in this cafe the oxygen e is fupplied by 

 the nitre, and, the combuftion being carried on with great 

 rapidity, a prodigious quantity of gas, &c. is difengaged in a 

 very fhort fpace of time. — It is true that this mode of fumiga- 

 tion cannot beput in practice while thepatients are prcfent: we 

 doubt much, however, if the fame objection is not applicable 

 to any other, which fhall be completely effectual in every 

 cafe ; for, to prevent the generation and fpreading of conta- 

 . gion, is a very different thing from entirely eradicating it, 

 after it has been produced, and attached to the clothing, 

 furniture, Sec. 



The procefs for difengaging the oxvgenated muriatic acid 

 gas, in wards containing offenlive fores and infectious difeafes, 

 is alfo extremely fimple : — Four ounces of common fait, inti- 

 mately mixed with two ounces of pulveriied manganefe, are 

 introduced into a cup or fmall bafon ; to this mixture about 

 two ounces of water are firft added, and afterwards three 

 ounces of the concentrated fulphuric acid in fmall portions at 

 atime, each portion being furficient to difengage fuch a quantity 

 of gas as can be borne with eafe by the patients in the room : 

 when managed in this way, the fmell of the gas is far from 

 being offenfivc, and its effects in removing putrid and dif- 

 agreeable fmells much fupcrior to any other means we have 

 ever tried. (See the note, p. 397.) We do not, however, by 

 anv means deny the efficacy of the nitrous vapour : our prin- 

 cipal objection to it, ariies only from its ready condensation, 



arid 



