2IO MANUAL OF BACTERIOLOGY. 



sary to carry out the process in more than two rooms ; but 

 should it be so, the process can be applied to the whole 

 house. 



After thorough bathing of the patient, preferably with 

 an antiseptic soap, the individual should be wrapped in a 

 clean sheet and removed to a clean room. All articles or 

 materials that are of little value should be destroyed. All 

 bedding, towels and the like should be placed in wooden 

 tubs and covered with a i-iooo solution of bichloride of 

 mercury. The room should then be made as nearly air- 

 tight as possible ; this can be accomplished by pasting strips 

 of paper over registers, cracks, spaces between window- 

 sashes and the like. Formaldehyde gas is then passed 

 through the keyhole into the room (or it may be generated 

 by formaldehyde candles) in sufficient quantity to destroy 

 the infectious element. The room should be sealed for at 

 least twelve hours, after which time it may be opened and 

 aired. The process is completed by washing all exposed 

 surfaces in the room with i-iooo bichloride of mercury. 

 This latter requirement is not essential if the gaseous disin- 

 fection has been complete, but since we have no absolute 

 knowledge on this point, the secondary washing should be 

 carried out. This method can be considered reliable for 

 surface disinfection, but for the interior of mattresses and 

 stuffed furniture-cushions it is not certain. In all cases 

 where absolute disinfection is demanded, such articles must 

 be ripped apart and loosely exposed to the gas. They may 

 be disposed of by fire or sterilized by steam under pressure. 

 The latter method must necessarily be a matter of municipal 

 control, and can only be carried out by means of suitable 

 apparatus in the hands of a municipal disinfecting corps. 

 Instead of formaldehyde, sulphur dioxide may be used for 

 room disinfection, but in the light of present knowledge the 

 formaldehyde method is superior. 



