54 DESTRUCTION OF BACTERIA BY CHEMICALS 



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 100 

 carbolic or 1 to 1000 bichloride should be used, allow- 

 ing 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 iodine-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 removed by the authorities for disinfection. 

 After soaking infected goods in these solutions they 

 should be boiled for at least twenty minutes, preferably 

 with soap. Materials from the sick-room should 

 never be carried to other parts of the building in a 

 dry state. 



Utensils. Utensils should be soaked in the solutions 

 and then boiled. 



Urine, Feces, and Sputum. Urine, feces, and sputum 

 should be received in glass, earthen, or agate vessels 

 already containing carbolic acid solution, milk of lime 

 or formalin, and they should be allowed to remain 

 for at least one hour. It is well to cover the vessel. 

 In the absence of disinfectants, discharges should be 

 burned or boiled for one-half hour. The solid masses 

 of feces should be broken up in order to permit the 

 proper penetration of solutions. 



