STERILIZATION. 65 



steam coming from a small chamber underneath with a 

 copper bottom to which the flame is applied. The peculi- 

 arity of this form of sterilizer consists in the fact that the 

 steam which escapes from the sterilizing chamber. will be 

 condensed beneath the outer cover or hood and will fall 

 back upon the pan over the chamber in which the steam is 

 generated. The bottom of this pan is perforated with three 



FIG. 13. 



Steam sterilizer, Massachusetts Board of Health. 



small holes which allow the water of condensation to return 

 into the chamber where the steam is generated. The ster- 

 ilizer will, therefore, to a certain extent, supply itself with 

 water, although not by any means perfectly. It is, how- 

 ever, less likely to boil dry than other forms of sterilizers, 

 and it has the advantage of being reasonably cheap and 



