RELATION TO ENVIRONMENT 153 



Formaldehyde may be used as a liquid disinfectant, and is 

 strongly recommended by many for the purpose of disinfecting 

 sputum, urine, and feces. 



In the practical use of formaldehyde for disinfecting a room 

 or an apartment, it is well to remember that first of all the 

 room should be tightly closed, all cracks about the windows 

 and doors should be pasted up with newspaper strips, or a 

 material especially prepared for the purpose, registers, fire- 

 places, etc., tightly closed, leaving only an exit to be made 

 tight on the outside. All articles in the room needing disin- 

 fection should be so arranged that their surfaces are exposed. 

 This means that clothing should be spread out on a line or 

 over chairs, that the bedding should be taken off and likewise 

 spread about, that the pillows and ticks should be removed 

 from the bed and arranged so that the gas can readily reach 

 all parts of them and, if it is thought necessary, an opening 

 made so that the gas can readily get into the interior. Bureau 

 drawers, trunks, etc., must be opened up and articles therein 

 spread out. Where potassium permanganate, or another 

 chemical, is to be used for regenerating the gas, it is necessary 

 to have a large container. Where a considerable amount of 

 work is to be done, it is desirable to have a special piece of ap- 

 paratus made, such as that suggested by the Illinois State 

 Board of Health. This consists of a tin pail with low straight 

 sides surmounted by a flaring top, the whole to be covered on 

 the outside with asbestos paper and provided with a double 

 tin bottom. Where the amount of work does not warrant 



