162 LOTIONS, PURGES, BLISTERS, ETC. 



of which is chloride of lime), do not possess sufficient efficacy, 

 particularly within the limited time that can be devoted to that 

 purpose, without interfering with the commercial interests of 

 the vessels. 



" It would occupy too much time to carefully scour and after- 

 wards apply a disinfecting fluid to the entire surface of a ship's 

 hold, in which, generally, there are many crevices and parts 

 that cannot be reached by the hand or brush. Such crevices 

 and parts are capable of retaining the contagious and infectious 

 principles in all their virulence. 



"Holds of vessels, and all other chambers from which the 

 external air can be excluded for a time, can be, comparatively 

 speaking, most effectually disinfected by filling them with 

 chlorine gas, the great disinfecting principle of chloride of lime. 

 The gas insinuates itself into every chink, crevice, and part of 

 the chamber in which it is confined, and more effectually de- 

 composes the contagious and infectious compounds, whether 

 they be solid, fluid, or aeriform, than any other disinfectant 

 equally easy of application, and as cheap. The mode of disin- 

 fecting the hold of a vessel with chlorine is, to place a quantity 

 of common salt and black oxide of manganese in a strong basin, 

 which may be put into a bucket, to the handle of which a rope 

 has been attached. Pour on the salt and black oxide of man- 

 ganese their combined weight of sulphuric acid ; then let the 

 bucket containing the basin a little way down into the hold by 

 the rope attached to its handle. The chlorine gas, being heavier 

 than the atmospheric air, will quickly displace the latter and 

 fill the hold. In a short time, when the hold has become filled 

 with chlorine, the hatches may be battened down for about half 

 an hour. 



" Previous to using the hold again for live freight, a current 

 of air should be admitted through it to remove the chlorine. 



' ' Many recommend the use of charcoal ; but it is not alone 

 more difficult of application, but it is much less of a disinfectant 

 than a deodoriser. Charcoal will not, like the chlorides, decom- 

 pose the matter of disease. If the damp matter of glanders, or 

 sheep-pox, be well mixed with a strong solution of chloride of 

 lime, it will seldom produce bad effects by inoculation ; but if 

 pure charcoal of any kind be used, the contagious principle of 

 the diseased matter is not at all diminished in its virulence — 



