SANITATION 59 



ab()V(' this UMiiperature, the ])ett('r. ^loisture' in llie air i.s an 

 aid ill this sort of disinfection; it may be secured ])y sprin- 

 kling the tioor just before starting the generation of the gas. 

 The ])uilding should l)e kept closed six to twenty-four hours. 

 It nuist be thoroughly aired before the fowls are permitted 

 to reenter it. 



Such disinfection may not destroy rats and mice, or the 

 larger parasites and their eggs. 



For disinfecting with sulphur fumes, the ordinary com- 

 mercial flowers of sulphur should be used. It must be burned 

 in the building to generate sulphur dioxid, which is effec- 

 tive in disinfection only in the presence of water vapor ; 

 therefore some means for providing the necessary moisture 

 in the building must be provided. This may be accomplished 

 by spraying the walls and ceiling until they are dripping, 

 just before beginning the disinfecting, or by boiling a large 

 vessel of water in the building during the generation of the 

 sulphur fumes. 



Fire is required to generate the sulphur fumes and cars 

 must be taken not to endanger the building with it. A large 

 iron vessel partly filled with live coals may be used; set it 

 on the floor, or if the floor be of combustible material, on 

 several bricks laid on the floor, and pour onto the live coals 

 two pounds of sulphur for each 1,000 cubic feet of space 

 in the building. Care should be taken to ascertain that the 

 sulphur actually begins to burn. 



The building should remain hermetically sealed for from 

 twelve to twenty-four hours and then be thoroughly aired 

 before the fowls are admitted. 



Compared with hydrocyanic acid and forma Idehyd, sul- 

 phur dioxid is a feeble disinfectant, but effective work may 

 l)e done with it by a thorough, careful application, and at- 

 tention to all details. 



The disinfection of the drinking water and drinking foun- 

 tains is discussed fully under "Water Supply." (See page 



5G.) 



Disinfectants that can be applied in licpiid form are best 

 suited for disinfecting the ordinary poultry house. It re- 

 quires longer to api)ly them than it does to prepare for dis- 

 infection by gas, and germs and ])arasites protecti^l in crevices 

 and in decayed surfaces of wooden walls cannot be reached, 

 as l)y the gaseous disinfectants. Fowls need not be shut out 

 of the building for several hours, as is the case when the gas 

 is used. This is often a considerable advantage. Further- 

 more, the germs and parasites hidden in the walls and roosts 



