( 92 ) 



academy of arts and sciences, at Digon, for 

 1767, it will be seen that sulphate of iron was 

 known and recommended as an antiseptic, 

 long anterior to the present time. Knowing, 

 therefore, the means, it becomes necessary to 

 have a knowledge also of the methods of dis- 

 infection, and so we proceed to speak of those 

 most applicable to the purpose. 



Siret of Meaux was the pioneer in this im- 

 portant work, so full of interest and profit to 

 the public. His experiments were under the 

 authority of Payen, Boussingault and Gas- 

 parin, a committee of the French academy of 

 sciences. According to Siret's successful re- 

 sults, 15 to IS grammes (4 to 5 drams,) of 

 his powder (consisting of sulphate of iron? 

 lime, pit coal, pitch, charcoal and quick lime,) 

 are sufficient to disinfect and prevent the pu- 

 trefaction of the daily amount of excrements 

 of each individual. *The per diem expense 

 of this disinfecting powder is an § centime,and 

 the success of its application is dependent 

 upon the regularity with which the prescribed 



* The solid and liquid excrements of a man equal daily 

 27 ounces, or about 620 pounds annually, and they contain 3 

 per cent of Nitrogen. 



