SANITATION 423 



all discharges from the intestines should be disin- 

 fected. Dishes used by persons having an infectious 

 disease should always be scalded. 



Many different poisons are used for killing germs 

 though they are not all suited for the same disease. 

 One of the most frequently used of these disinfectants 

 is mercury bichloride (corrosive sublimate). Car- 

 bolic acid, lysol, alcohol, formalin, boracic acid, and 

 chloride of lime all serve this purpose. If it becomes 

 necessary to disinfect a house, or even a room, a gaseous 

 disinfectant must be used. This process of destroying 

 germs by fumes or poisonous vapors is fumigation. 



Fumigation. The two most common agents used in 

 this process are formalin and burning sulphur. The 

 room should be tightly closed, bedding and clothing 

 should be spread out. Formalin can then be intro- 

 duced into the room as a vapor; as an easier method 

 of getting the gas into the room, formalin may be spread 

 on a sheet and allowed to evaporate. 



Sulphur dioxide is made by the burning of sulphur 

 ' ' candles. ' ' A better and safer way is to obtain liquid 

 sulphur dioxide. If this is poured out into dishes, it 

 will soon evaporate and fill the room with the sulphur 

 dioxide fumes. For thorough fumigation a room should 

 be kept closed for several hours. This will destroy 

 all vermin as well as germs. 



Quarantine. We prevent the spread of the most 

 infectious diseases by keeping people suffering from 

 such diseases away from other people; that is, we 



