STERILIZA TION AND DISINFECTION. 



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. 1 8. The Trillat autoclave. 



FlG. 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 

 that has been shown by competent experiments to fill the 

 requirements. 



The "formalin," or 40 per cent, solution of the gas, 

 when fresh and tightly corked, is fatal to most bacteria in 

 dilutions of from i : 5000 to i : 25,000. It can be employed 

 with great advantage to spray the walls and floors of 

 rooms. It cannot be employed upon the skin or mucous 

 membranes, because of its marked irritating effect. 



The disinfection of the skin, both the hands of the 

 surgeon and the part about to be incised, is a matter of 

 importance. It is almost impossible to secure absolute 

 sterility of the hands, so deeply do the skin-cocci pene- 

 trate between the layers of the scarf-skin. The method at 



