SANITARY SCIENCE. 



439 



for securing the focal deposits for fertilizing purpo- 

 ses, the ' pail" system, better known as the " Roch- 

 dale," and the earth or a*h-closet system ("com- 

 mode"), first introduced by Rev. Henry Moule of 

 England. Both of these systems are in use to a 

 moderate extent in this country and are rapidly 

 growing in favor. Heap's patent dry earth or ashes 

 closet, with its automatic urine separator and self- 

 acting hopper, requires less earth for deodorizing 

 purposes and therefore is better adapted for use where 

 earth, or ashes cannot readily be obtained. Both of 

 these systems have been extensively used in Eng- 

 land. Manchester (including Salford), with a popu- 

 lation of nearly 800,000 souls, is said to contain but 

 11,000 water-closets against (56,000 pail-closets, not- 

 withstanding the fact that it is thoroughly sewered, 

 has an abundant water supply, and the Irwell 

 river courses through it. The other plan, crema- 

 tion, includes the destruction, not only of the fa?ces, 

 but of all kinds of house refuse, garbage, broken 

 crockery, street sweepings, dead animals, etc., 

 which are dumped into a "destructor" where all is 

 reduced to ashes except the old pots, pans, crockery, 

 glassware, etc., which becoming fused together are 

 broken up and used for making roads, or ground and j 

 made into bricks, etc. For the disposal of sewage : 

 by water and a description of earth-closets see Ex-; 



CYCLOPAEDIA BlUTANNICA, Vol. XXL, p. 717 (p. I 



745, Am. Rep.). The filtration of water by the 

 ' Hyatt pure water system" is regarded as satisfac- 

 tory where it is found that any impurities exist in : 

 the general water supply. For domestic purposes ! 

 there are many kinds recommended. 



Heating awl VenWatiixj of houses, public anil pri- 

 v;ilr, are now regarded as most important 'problems 

 by the architect in preparing his plans. (See " Heat- 

 ing" in the BlUTANNICA, and VENTILATION in this 

 work. ) Many experiments have been tried, all sys- 

 tems having tor their object the introduction of pure 

 air properly heated, and the expulsion of the vitiated 

 air resulting from the respiration and the emanations ' 

 of its occupants , this interchange must be imper- 

 ceptible or a feeling of discomfort arises from the 

 draught created. "Gouge's system of ventilating 

 and heating," and the Rnttan-Smi'ad system, based 

 on scientific principles, are commended as among the 

 best. The general subject in too extensive to con- 

 sider here. 



Disinffi-lrtntx. (See this title in the ENCYCLO- 

 PAEDIA BHITANNICA, and in this work.) These 

 are agents used for destroying the infectious mate- 

 rial (germs) of infectious diseases, and should not be 

 confounded with deodorizers or antiseptics which 

 simply destroy bad odors or arrest putrefactive de- 

 composition. Admitting the "germ theory of dis- 

 ease" to be correct, the exhaustive exposition of the 

 ]in >i nt knowledge on this subject, made by the 

 chairman of the committee on disinfectants ap- 

 pointed by the American Public Health Association, 

 M:ijr>r George M. Stfrnberg. Surgeon U. S. A., is a 

 contribution to Sanitary Science of incalculable 

 value, as in fact is the entire report of the com- 

 mittee. (Sec Public Health Papers and Report* of the 

 American Public Health Amncintinn, Vol. XIII., pp. 

 64 to 201. Concord, N. II., 1888.) 



Space can here be given only for the "conclu- 

 sions" of the committee, as follows : 



"The most useful agents for the destruction of 

 spore containing infectious material are : 1. Fire ; 

 complete destruction by burning. 2. Steam under 

 pressure, 105 C. (221 P.I for ten minutes. 3. Boil- 

 ing in water for half an hour. 4. Chloride of lime 

 (which should contain at least 25 per cent, of avail- 

 able chlorine), a 4 per cent, solution. 5. Mercuric 

 chloride, a solution of 1 : 500. 



" For the destruction of infectious material which 

 owes its infecting power to the presence of micro- 

 or^anisnae not containing spores, the committee 



recommends : 1. Fire ; complete destruction by burn- 

 ing. 2. Boiling in water for ten minutes. 3. Dry 

 heat, 110 C. (230 F.) for two hours. 4. Chloride 

 of lime, a 2 per cent, solution. 5. Solution of chlo- 

 rinated soda (containing at least 3 per cent, of avail- 

 able chlorine), a 10 percent, solution. 6. Mercuric 

 chloride, a solution of 1 : 2000. 7. Carbolic acid, a 

 5 per cent, solution. 8. Sulphate of copper, a 5 

 per cent, solution. 9. Chloride of zinc, a 10 per 

 cent, solution. 10. Sulphur dioxide, which will re- 

 quire the combustion of between three and four 

 pounds of sulphur for every 1000 cubic feet of air 

 space. There should be exposure for twelve hours 

 to an atmosphere containing at least 4 volumes per 

 cent, of this gas in presence of moisture. 



" The committee would make the following re- 

 commendations with reference to the practical ap- 

 plication of these agents for disinfecting purposes : 

 for excreta. (a) In the sick-room : 1. Chloride of 

 lime in solution, 4 per cent. In the absence of 

 spores : 2. Carbolic acid in solution, 5 per cent. 

 3. Sulphate of copper in solution, 5 per cent. (6) 

 In privy . vaults : 1. Mercuric chloride in solution, 

 1 : 500. (The addition of an equal quantity of potas- 

 sium permanganate as a deodorant, and to give 

 color to the solution, is to be recommended.) 2. 

 Carbolic acid in solution, 5 percent, (c) For the dis- 

 infection and deodorization of the surface of masses 

 of organic material in privy vaults, etc. : Chloride 

 of lime in powder. 



" For clothing, bedding, etc. (a) Soiled under- 

 clothing, bed linen, etc. : 1. Destruction by fire if of 

 little value. 2. Boiling for at least half an hour. 

 3. Immersion in a solution of mercuric chloride of 

 the strength of 1 :2000 for four hours. 4. Immer- 

 sion in a 2 per cent, solution of carbolic acid for four 

 hours, (b) Outer garments of wool or silk, and 

 similar articles, which would be injured by immer- 

 sion in boiling water or in a disinfecting solution : 

 1. Exposure in a suitable apparatus to a current of 

 steam for ten minutes. 2. Exposure to dry heat at 

 a temperature of 110 C. (230 F.) for two hours. 

 (c) Mattresses and blankets soiled by the discharges 

 ofthasick: 1. Destruction by fire. 2. Exposure to 

 superheated steam, 105 C. (221 F.) for ten minutes 

 (mattresses to have the cover removed or freely 

 opened). 3. Immersion in boiling water for half an 

 hour. 



" Furniture and article* of irootZ, leather, and por- 

 n-lniii. Washing, several times repeated, with: 1. 

 Solution of carbolic acid, 2 per cent. 



" For the person. The hands and general surface 

 of the body of attendants of the sick and of conva- 

 lescents should be washed with : 1. Solution of 

 chlorinated soda diluted with nine parts of water, 

 1 :10. 2. Carbolic acid, 2 per cent, solution. 3. 

 Mercuric chloride, 1 : 1000. 



" For the dead. Envelop the body in a sheet 

 thoroughly saturated with : 1. Chloride of lime in 

 solution, 4 per cent. 2. Mercuric chloride in solu- 

 tion, 1:500. 3. Carbolic acid in solution, 5 per cent. 



" For tlw sick-room and hosjrital wards, (a) While 

 occupied wash all surfaces with : 1. Mercuric chlo- 

 ride in solution, 1:1000. 2. Carbolic acid in solu- 

 tion, 2 per cent, (b) When vacated, fumigate with 

 sulphur dioxide for twelve hours, burning at least 

 3 pounds of sulphur for every 1000 cubic feet of air- 

 space in the room ; then wash all surfaces with one 

 of the above-mentioned disinfecting solutions, and 

 afterwards with soap and hot water ; finally throw 

 open doors and windows and ventilate freely. 



" For merchandise and the mails. The disinfec- 

 j tion of merchandise and of the mails will only be re- 

 , quired under execution:)] circumstances ; free aera- 

 tion will usually be sufficient. If disinfection seems 

 I necessary, fumigation with sulphur dioxide will be 

 the only practicable method of accomplishing it 

 without injury. 



