30 HOUSEHOLD BACTERIOLOGY. 



Boiling The greatest argument in favor of boiling clothes 

 in the laundry is based on the bacteriological reason. 

 Body clothes, bedding, towels and handkerchiefs may 

 all become soiled with discharges of the mucous mem- 

 branes of the body or from some wound or pus 

 formation. In most of these discharges there is sure 

 to be bacteria. Soap has a slight disinfecting power, 

 but the boiling is far more efficacious. Scalding or 

 the pouring of boiling water over the clothes is not 

 sufficient for disinfection, for only the top surface is 

 subjected to the high degree of heat necessary to 

 kill the germs. Soap or other alkali, boiling, fresh 

 air, and sunshine are a sanitary quartet whose work 

 results in sterilization that is, in death to the germs. 



Natural The natural home of the bacteria is the soil. Here 



Home of 



Bacteria they, are most numerous because here they have their 

 greatest field of work laid out for them, which is to 

 change any dead vegetable and animal matter that may 

 be present into inorganic substances which can do no 

 harm to life. 



When winds blow over the soil they raise the dry 

 dust particles laden with bacteria into the air ; rain 

 washes millions of them from the air and soil into 

 the brooks and rivers ; therefore, all surface waters 

 are seeded with bacteria. 



From the soil they may be directly brought into the 

 house on shoes, or clothes, or hands ; indirectly through 

 dusty air. 



The cleaning of shoes on a mat, brush, or scraper 



