PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF DISINFECTION 55 



PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF DISINFECTION. 



Stock Solutions. As given by Park these can be made 

 as follows : 6 ounces of carbolic acid in 1 gallon of hot water 

 this is about a 5 per cent, solution. It is milky at first and 

 must be stirred thoroughly. The addition of a small amount 

 of glycerin keeps the carbolic acid in solution and probably 

 assists in disinfection, in part by absorbing water, in part 

 by making a coating on objects and holding the phenol. 



Bichloride solution : 60 grains of pulverized bichloride and 

 2 tablespoonfuls of common salt to 1 gallon of hot water = 

 1 to 1000. Store in glass or earthen vessels. Agate will 

 answer. It is well to color the liquid or to have a prominent 

 label indicating poison. 



Milk of lime : 1 quart of dry, freshly slaked lime to 4 or 5 

 quarts of water. Lime is slaked by pouring a small quantity 

 of water on a lump of quicklime. The lime becomes hot 

 and crumbles, and as the slaking is completed a white 

 powder results. 



Formalin solution: 1 part of formalin to 10 of water is 

 equivalent to 5 per cent, of carbolic acid. 



Cleansing of Skin. For this purpose a 1 to 1000 carbolic 

 or 1 to 1000 bichloride should be used, allowing it to act 

 for at least two minutes. Following this there should be 

 scrubbing with soap and water with a soft brush. It is 

 unwise to roughen the skin with stiff bristles. The newer 

 methods, using iodin alcohol, require only simple soap and 

 water washing and then a few applications of the solutions 

 to the skin to be disinfected, allowing each application to 

 dry before proceeding. 



Fabrics. Soiled fabrics should be soaked in carbolic, 

 formalin, or bichloride in this order of preference for at least 

 two hours. Mattresses should be exposed to the sun or re- 

 moved by health authorities for disinfection. After soaking 

 infected goods in these solutions they should be boiled for at 

 least twenty minutes, preferably with soap. Materials from 



