200 HOW TO KEEP WELL 



dampness and darkness that bacteria thrive and multiply, 

 Dirt and dust exposed to the sunlight lose their living bacteria, 

 while in damp cellars and dark corners the bacteria thrive, in- 

 creasing steadily in number. For this reason our houses 

 should be kept light and airy ; blinds should be raised, even i 

 carpets do fade. Is it not better that carpets and furniture 

 should fade than that disease-producing bacteria should find a 

 permanent abode in our dwellings ? Kitchens and pantries in 

 particular should be thoroughly lighted. Bedclothes, rugs, and 

 clothing should be exposed to the sunlight as frequently as 

 possible; there is no better safeguard against bacterial disease 

 than light. In a sick room sunlight is especially valuable, be- 

 cause it not only kills bacteria, but keeps the air dry, and new 

 bacteria cannot get a start in a dry atmosphere. 



Bacteria are killed by certain chemicals. Chloride of 

 lime, burning sulphur, corrosive sublimate, carbolic acid, and 

 formalin are disinfectants ; that is, chemicals which kill bacteria. 

 Chloride of lime is cheap, and a small amount of it poured 

 into the closet bowl kills all bacteria and makes the excreta 

 harmless. A surgeon about to perform an operation must have 

 hands free of bacteria. He cannot dip his hands into boil- 

 ing water to free them from bacteria, but he disinfects them 

 with weak carbolic acid or a solution of corrosive sublimate. A 

 solution of one part carbolic acid to twenty parts of water kills 

 all germs and does not injure the skin. 



Corrosive sublimate is the cheapest disinfectant, but it is 

 very poisonous and must be carefully handled. A quarter of 

 an ounce of corrosive sublimate in one quart of water makes 

 an effective disinfectant and is used in hospitals for mop- 

 ping floors, wiping walls, and dusting woodwork. To dis- 

 infect or fumigate a room formalin is generally used. When 

 a room is to be fumigated, all drawers, closets, and wardrobes 

 in the room are opened wide, the doors and windows are closed, 



