214 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [September, 



with practical experience with disease. One reason for this hist dis- 

 agreement may be that micro-organisms which, after snbjection to a 

 disinfectant, may yet have sufficient vitaHty to reproduce in a hiboratory 

 where the most favo}-ablc conditions are supplied., could not possibly 

 do so in the human throat, or elsewhere in the human body, because of 

 the well-known power of the fluids of the body to destroy micro-organ- 

 isms, as proved by Doctor Prudden's and other laboratory experiments 

 following but not confirming Metschnikoft"'s doctrine of the Phagocytes. 



Progress would be easier, more rapid, and the backward and" for- 

 ward movements less frequent if experimenters in laboratories would 

 be more careful in stating the details of their work. 



The interpretation of the results of laboratory experiments and the 

 determination of the bearing which they should have upon practical 

 aftairs is an extremely difficult work, and one in which there is very 

 great liability to error. 



Practical health officers need to employ a g-asco7is disinfectant that 

 shall at once reach all surfaces, ledges, cracks, drawers, and receptacles 

 of dust wherever it may be in a room, that shall permeate all articles 

 sufficiently permeable to admit disease, causing micro-organisms that 

 will not necessitate too much labor in the removal of furniture or other 

 articles, and that shall have power to destroy or sufficiently weaken 

 the vitality of the " germs " of such diseases as diphtheria and scarlet 

 fever, and occasionally small-pox, as they are usually distributed in the 

 sick room, and that shall not destroy family portraits and similar arti- 

 cles. Only two such disinfectants are prominently before us for 

 choice, chlorine and sulphurous acid gas. Of these two, sulphurcms 

 acid gas is made in proper quantity, with more certainty and less 

 trouble than is chlorine gas ; and, at present, I regard the weight of 

 evidence in its favor as equal to that relative to chlorine gas, concerning 

 which not so much evidence has been published. Practical experience 

 in Michigan proves that by isolation of first cases of diphtheria, and dis- 

 infection of premises after death or recovery therefrom, by fiunes of 

 burning sulphur, etc., four-fifths of the cases and deaths which would 

 otherwise occur from that disease are prevented. If there is any other 

 method of disinfection or any other procedure that can be shown to 

 reduce the cases and deaths more than the four-fifths and down to less 

 than an average of two and one-third cases and six-tenths of one death 

 to each outbreak, I am exceedingly desirous of knowing what it is. 

 But inasmuch as that is the recent experience in Michigan (outside of 

 the great cities) it does not seem best to give up the methods employed 

 until evidence of a better method is produced. 



Meantime I would advise a continuance of sulphurous disinfection 

 for the purposes for which it is applicable and for which it is greatly 

 needed as stated above, not including the disinfection of excretions 

 from the patient, for which chlorinated lime or liquid is applicable, nor 

 of bits of diphtheritic membrane, which should be destroyed by fire as 

 should also all rags and everything else not too valuable used about 

 a patient; and all clothing, bed-clothes, etc., that can profitably be 

 boiled should be so treated. 



