MODE OF SPREAD OF INFECTIVE DISEASES. 775 



wire, the sides of which are at least 1 cm. from the wall of the 

 vessel, and are lined with wire netting and inside that with 

 waxed cloth, which is the only material impermeable to water 

 which stands heating well. Further, to protect the articles 

 from water dropping from above without preventing the 

 passage of the steam they are covered with several layers of 

 cloth. By means of these simple arrangements the articles 

 can be dried in half an hour if they are laid out on a dry 

 frame arranged around an ordinary iron stove, and thus only 

 two to three hours elapse from the beginning to the end of 

 disinfection. Above the apparatus an arrangement is fixed 

 by means of which the cover can be raised and turned aside, 

 the basket introduced or removed, and the cover replaced in 

 u very few minutes. 



Spring mattresses can be sufficiently disinfected by 

 scrubbing them with sublimate solution (1 : 2000) ; it is 

 most convenient to combine this procedure with the dis- 

 infection of tbe dwelling. Boots, indiarubber materials, 

 <fcc., sbould also be washed with sublimate solution. 



3. In the house, the bedstead (and the other furni- ^ f is t e fection 

 ture if necessary) and the floor should be scrubbed with dwelling, 

 sublimate solution, and afterwards washed with soap and 

 water. In the water-closets, the seat, the pan, and the 

 drain should be scrubbed or sluiced with 5 per cent, 

 carbolic lotion. The contents of cesspools, &c., should 

 be mixed with commercial hydrochloride acid till the 

 reaction of the contents after being well stirred is 

 markedly acid. Where the cesspools are very large we 

 cannot attempt disinfection. As to the defects and the 

 methods of disinfection of the air see p. 669. In most 

 cases no attempt is made to disinfect the air, but reliance 

 is placed in thorough ventilation. We may, however, 

 before disinfecting the floor, furniture, &c., attempt 

 to cause deposition and fixation of the air germs by 

 loading the air with moisture by means of steam or spray. 



To carry out thorough disinfection it is essential that Necessity for 

 there should be a staff of educated persons, indeed this 

 is quite as necessary as the possession of a proper ap- 

 paratus. In a small town three trustworthy persons 

 are sufficient ; these should be thoroughly instructed 

 and examined by the medical officer ; in larger cities the 

 staff must be correspondingly more numerous. 



