DISINFECTION. 325 
malin to 5,000 parts of water. Exposure to air and sunlight are good dis- 
infectants for light clothing, but not for heavy articles like mattresses. 
There is no good method for their disinfection. Where the infection of 
such articles is considerable the only safe thing to do is to destroy them. 
Excreta. The feces, the urine, and all discharges from patients are 
most likely to contain infectious organisms and must be handled and 
treated with great care. One of the best methods of treating is to place 
the excreta in a vessel and cover completely with a chlorid of lime solu- 
tion prepared as above described. This should be allowed to act at least 
an hour before the mixture is thrown into the sewer or otherwise disposed 
of. Ordinary milk of lime or dry slacked lime is useful in earth closets 
or privies. 
The Sick Room. While a room is occupied by a patient little can be 
done to disinfect it. In case of a contagious disease it is desirable that cur- 
tains, hangings and carpets should be dispensed with, since these catch 
and hold dust. Little else can be done beyond care in keeping the room 
clean. After the room is vacated it is frequently desirable to disinfect it be- 
fore it is again occupied. Carpets, curtains, and bedding should be removed 
and disinfected as above suggested. All surfaces in the room, including 
walls, ceilings, floors, tables, chairs, and especially cracks around mop- 
boards and the floor should be washed freely with a disinfectant. Corrosive 
sublimate solution is frequently used, or the chlorid of lime solution. If 
care is taken to wash all surfaces thoroughly, putting plenty of the disin- 
fectant into the cracks, the disinfection is complete and satisfactory. 
Since this plan of washing is rather long and troublesome, a simpler plan 
has been widely adopted in recent years of using a gaseous disinfectant. 
The gas most commonly used is formaldehyd gas. This is applied in 
various ways, but the simplest is as follows : All cracks in the room are 
first sealed by pasting gummed paper over them, this including cracks 
around mop boards, chimneys, as well as fire-places and key-holes. 
Then a pailful of steaming water is placed in the room to give moist- 
ure. Lastly, one or more "formalin candles" are lighted. These are 
mixtures of solidified formalin which give off the desired gas when heated 
and in the candles there is added a certain amount of paraffin that will 
burn. These candles can be obtained from any drug store and upon 
the wrapper there is always stated the number of cubic feet that the 
candle is supposed to disinfect. The number of these candles to be burned 
must therefore be determined by estimating the space in the room and 
using candles accordingly. It is best to use about half as much again of 
the formalin candles as recommended on the wrapper, since they will 
rarely be as efficient as is claimed for them. After lighting the candles leave 
the room quickly and seal the door on the outside with gummed paper. 
Leave closed for about twelve hours and then open windows and doors so as 
to allow the gas to pass from the room. If a sufficient amount of formalin 
is used this disinfection is thorough. 
The Stable. The disinfection of the stable is difficult because of the 
roughness of the lumber with which the stable is made. A satisfactory 
