6 THE FARMER S VETERINARIAN 



health, disinfection is a splendid means for ward- 

 ing off disease. For sometimes with the greatest 

 care germs are admitted in some manner or form. 

 By constantly disinfecting, the likelihood of any 

 encroachment by germs is greatly lessened. 



Fortunately we have disinfectants that are easily 

 applied and easily obtained at small cost. One of 

 these disinfecting materials is lime, just ordinary 

 slaked lime, the lime that every farmer knows. 

 While it does not possess the disinfecting power 

 of many other agents, it is, nevertheless, very de- 

 sirable for sprinkling about stables and for white- 

 washing floors, walls, and partitions. When so 

 used the cracks and holes are filled and the germs 

 destroyed. Ordinary farm stables should be white- 

 washed once or twice each year, and the crumbled 

 lime sprinkled on the litter or open ground. It is 

 not desirable to use lime with bedding and manure, 

 for the reason that it liberates the nitrogen con- 

 tained therein. Hence the bedding and manure 

 should be removed to the fields as frequently as 

 possible, where it can be more helpful to the land. 

 Thus scattered, the sunlight and purifying effects 

 of the soil will soon destroy the disease bacteria, 

 if any are present in the manure. 



Another splendid disinfectant is corrosive sub- 

 limate, mercuric chloride, as it is often called. Use 

 one ounce in eight gallons of water. This makes 

 one-tenth of one per cent solution. In preparing 

 this disinfectant, allow the material to stand for 

 several hours, so as to permit the chemical to be- 

 come entirely dissolved. This solution should be 

 carefully guarded and protected, since it is a poison 

 and, if drunk by animals, is liable to cause death. 

 If infected quarters are to be disinfected, see that 



