224 VETERINARY HYGIENE 



always a slight flow of liquid in the channel towards the exit, steps 

 should be taken as soon as possible to remove this dangerous 

 material and to prevent its further spread. The whole of the 

 contents of the channel (within the limits defined above) should be 

 carefully collected with a shovel and taken for destruction in a 

 receptacle that will not leak and that can be readily disinfected, but 

 before its removal is begun all the liquid in the channel should be 

 soaked up with any absorbent that is handy; earth is as good as 

 anything else for the purpose. 



Before any attempt is made to remove the soiled bedding and 

 food from the stall the whole should be thoroughly covered with 

 a suitable disinfectant, of which the dung channel must receive a 

 liberal amount. Were it not for the possibility of tainting the milk 

 collected in the byre, a strong solution of chloride of lime is much 

 to be preferred to liquid disinfectants. 



If a liquid disinfectant is chosen, then preference should be 

 given to one that will mix well with water. Crude carbolic acid 

 is unsuitable for this purpose as, under ordinary conditions, it 

 does not mix Avith water satisfactorily, so that when the liquid is 

 poured into the channel or on to the stall, &c., there is no certainty 

 that the disinfectant will be brought in contact with all the infective 

 material. The stall, once it and its fittings have been well 

 covered with the disinfectant, should be left for a day and then the 

 soiled litter and dirt may be removed and burnt. It is an unwise 

 thing to start removing highly infective litter without taking any 

 measure to disinfect it. If men commence their cleansing opera- 

 tions by walking about the stall before the floor and bedding have 

 been treated there is a grave risk of virulent material getting on 

 their boots and being carried to other stalls. When the bedding 

 and dirt have been removed the whole of the stall and fittings may 

 then be scrubbed down with scalding water and not less than 5 per 

 cent, of a phenol or cresyl disinfectant. The following day the 

 stall partitions and facing wall should be limewashed, the wash 

 to be made with fresh unslaked lime and to contain not less than 

 5 per cent, of a suitable disinfectant. 



If the floor of the stall is made of loosely-laid cobble stones 

 or flagstones, they should be removed together with the first few 

 inches of soil. If there are visible patches of blood on the floor, 

 dung channel or fittings it is a good plan to well burn them with 

 a painter's lamp. The tools used in removing the litter, c., should 

 be well flamed and all halters, sacks, rugs, &c., that have been in 

 contact with the affected animal should be burned. 



DISINFECTION OF HARNESS. The method adopted for the dis- 



