STERILIZATION AND DISINFECTION. 



173 



The newest, and one of the best germicides for all pur- 

 poses is formaldehyde. Its use as a vapor for the sterili- 

 zation of infected rooms was first suggested by Trillat in 

 1895, but it did not make much stir in the medical world 

 until a year or more had passed and a 40 per cent, solu- 

 tion of the gas, under the name of "Formalin," had 

 been placed upon the market The original method con- 

 sisted of the evolution of the gas from methyl alcohol by 

 volatilizing it in a steam apparatus, and passing the vapor 

 over a heated metal plate. At present the original auto- 

 clave has been replaced by the apparatus shown in Fig. 

 19, in which a solution of formochloral is volatilized by 

 heating under a pressure of three atmospheres. 



The gas is very penetrating, easily diffusing itself, and 

 is said to have enormous bactericidal powers. In experi- 

 ments conducted by Prof. 

 Robinson, of Bowdoin Col- 

 lege, the gas penetrated mat- 

 tresses and killed cultures in 

 tubes wrapped up in them. 



There seems to be little 

 doubt of the ability of the 



Fig. 18.— The Trillat autoclave. 



Fig. 19. — Sanitary formaldehyde re- 

 generator. 



formaldehyde gas to disinfect, but there are few apparatus 

 upon the market at present that seem capable of discharg- 

 ing a sufficient volume of the gas with sufficient rapidity 

 to do the work. The physician, therefore, who desires 

 to disinfect with confidence should choose an apparatus 



