4 CLINICAL BACTERIOLOGY AND KLEMATOLOGY 



An efficient sterilizer may be made out of a cubical biscuit 

 box, but it will not stand much usage unless the joints are 

 brazed instead of being soldered : this can be done by any tin- 

 smith. It is much better to have the bottom of the box re- 

 placed by a sheet of copper, and a sterilizer made in this way 

 will answer every purpose and be fairly durable. A circular 

 hole is cut through the centre of the lid and fitted with a cork 

 bored so as to admit the thermometer. A false bottom or a 

 shelf an inch or so from the bottom will keep the articles which 

 are being sterilized from the heated surface ; the false bottom 



FIG. 2. HOT-AIR STERILIZER. 



may be made from a sheet of tin 2 inches longer in two of the 

 sides than the bottom of the box. The extremities of the 

 shorter sides are to be turned down for a length of an inch, 

 ?uid several holes cut in the plate. 



Lastly, the kitchen oven may be pressed into service if no 

 other sterilizer is at hand in an emergency. The apparatus to 

 be sterilized is to be placed on a layer of cotton-wool on one 

 of the shelves, and the temperature is observed by means of 

 *he thermometer, which should be thrust through the little 

 window which permits of the regulation of the temperature; 

 or the heat may be continued until the cotton-wool is singed 



