96 The Story of the Bacteria 



at frequent intervals, together with their 

 contents, should be burned in the stove, 

 furnace, or fireplace. When handkerchiefs 

 or cloths are used to receive the material 

 coughed up, these should be either burned as 

 early as possible, or soaked for several hours 

 in a five per cent, solution of carbolic acid 

 and then boiled and washed. But the use 

 of handkerchiefs and cloths is to be avoided 

 for this purpose as much as possible, because 

 they afford most favorable conditions for the 

 drying and distribution of the infectious 

 material. 



The acts of coughing and sneezing should 

 be made innocuous by the use of the hand- 

 kerchief. Utensils used by consumptives 

 should be separately and properly cleansed 

 and boiled. Kissing by consumptives should 

 be avoided. 



But while we are thus led by the knowledge 

 which has been gained of the tubercle bacillus 

 to a more precise notion as to what should be 

 done to prevent the spread of the disease, 

 what has the accumulated lore to offer of hope 

 or comfort to those already stricken? In the 



