i6 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. XII. No. 2i 



teen feet distant from the hose leading into the compartment ; 

 tubes containing spirillum Finkler-Prior, bacillus anthracis, bacillus 

 pneumonias, bacillus murissepticus, bacterium yellow-fever (?), 

 staphylococcus pyogenes albus, staphylococcus pyogenes aureus. 

 Time of exposure, two hours and twenty minutes. One hundred and 

 fifty pounds of sulphur used. Owing to the character of cargo, no 

 bichloride solution was used. Inoculations made from growth of 

 each micro-organism show no effect upon them. 



"Experiment No. 3, SOj. — Two baskets were prepared for 

 placing in the forward hold of steamship ' Morgan ; ' capacity, loi 

 tons ; cargo of sugar in bags ; basket No. i containing cultiva- 

 tions of spirillum cholerse Asiaticse on blood-serum and rags, bacil- 

 lus coli communis on agar-agar, streptococcus erysipelatus on 

 blood-serum ; basket No. 2, spirillum Finkler-Prior, bacillus an- 

 thracis, bacillus coli communis, bacillus pneumoniae, bacterium yel- 

 low-fever (?). 



" Basket No. i placed fifteen feet from pipe ; basket No. 2, 

 thirty feet from pipe. Cultivations e.iposed for one hour and 

 twenty minutes ; fumigation lasted one hour. About 100 pounds 

 of sulphur used. Cultivations had to be removed, as the vessel was 

 ready to leave the dock ; forward hatch was not sealed. All culti- 

 vations alive ; no inhibitory effect noted. 



" Experiment No. 4. — Steamship ' Floridian,' from Colon to 

 New Orleans, having but little freight ; several compartments 

 empty. Cultivations of spirillum cholerse Asiatics on blood-serum, 

 spirillum Finkler-Prior on blood-serum, bacillus anthracis on agar- 

 agar, bacillus typhi abdominalis on agar-agar, bacillus murissepti- 

 cus on blood-serum, bacillus cholera nostras on agar-agar, staphy- 

 lococcus pyogenes albus on agar-agar, staphylococcus pyogenes 

 aureus on agar-agar, were placed in forward compartment (empty). 

 Compartment fumigated for two hours, and allowed to remain for 

 eight hours and thirty minutes. Inoculations were Tnade from 

 time to time, and it was found that those of cholerse Asiaticse, 

 Finkler-Prior, staphylococcus pyogenes alba and aureus, and ba- 

 cillus murissepticus, were dead. No effect was noted in any way 

 upon anthra.x, typhoid, and cholera nostras. 



"Experiment No. 5. — Cultivations prepared by placing a 

 small quantity of sterilized cotton in test-tubes, and moistening it 

 with a small quantity of distilled water. The cotton was then in- 

 fected with several growths of the following : spirillum cholera; 

 Asiaticas, spirillum Finkler-Prior, bacillus anthracis, bacillus coli 

 communis, bacterium yellow-fever (?), staphylococcus pyogenes 

 albus, staphylococcus pyogenes aureus. 



" These were placed in an empty compartment that had been 

 thoroughly washed down with the bichloride solution. About 125 

 pounds of sulphur used. Volumetric examination of gas shows 8 

 per cent. Time cultivations were exposed, three hours and fifty 

 minutes. Only that of cholera AsiaticEe was killed. 



" Experiment No. 6. — Cultivations on agar-agar, made only 

 twenty-four hours before, of spirillum cholera Asiaticse (2), spiril- 

 lum Finkler-Prior, bacillus anthracis, bacillus typhi abdominalis, 

 bacillus coli communis, bacillus pneumonias, bacterium yellow- 

 fever (?), staphylococcus pyogenes albus, staphylococcus pyogenes 

 aureus ; also cultivations on cotton and woollen rags of spirillum 

 Finkler-Prior, bacillus coli communis, bacillus pneumonia, bacillus 

 typhi abdominalis, bacillus murissepticus, staphylococcus pyogenes 

 aureus, streptococcus erysipelatus. 



" Both series were placed in the forward compartment of steam- 

 ship ' Lizzie Henderson,' a small steamer plying between Tampa 

 and New Orleans. After fumigation the hatch was battened down, 

 and the cultivations left until the vessel arrived in New Orleans, 

 when they were taken out and inoculations made therefrom into 

 fresh agar-agar. Time of exposure, twenty-four hours. Of the 

 growths upon agar-agar, those of bacillus pneumonise, Finkler- 

 Prior, and cholera; Asiaticse were killed. None of those on rags 

 affected. 



" Experiment No. 7. — Cultivations made twenty-four hours 

 before, upon the surface of agar-agar, of spirillum Finkler-Prior, 

 spirillum cholerse Asiaticse, bacillus anthracis, bacillus typhi ab- 

 dominalis, bacillus coli communis, bacillus pneumonia, bacterium 

 yellow-fever Q), placed m forward hold of steamship ' Hutchinson,' 

 down under bags of sugar. Fumigation for one hour and twenty 

 minutes; then hatch closed. Fifteen hours later, while proceeding 



to the city, the hatch was thrown open ; and nine hours thereafter, 

 on arrival in New Orleans, the basket was removed. All germs 

 found living. 



" Experiment No. 8. — Potato placed in large test-tubes, and in- 

 oculated with spirillum cholera Asiatica, spirillum Finkler-Prior, 

 bacillus anthracis, bacillus typhi abdominalis, bacillus coli com- 

 munis, bacillus pneumonia;, bacterium yellow-fever (?), staphylo- 

 coccus pyogenes aureus. 



" These were placed in a basket, and wrapped in an old mattress, 

 which was lowered into an empty compartment of the steamship 

 'Saturnina.' Fumigated for two hours. 200 pounds of sulphur used. 

 The mattress was taken out four hours after. All growths dead 

 except anthrax, typhi abdominalis, staphylococcus pyogenes aureus, 

 cholera nostras, ■ and yellow-fever. Test-tubes containing agar- 

 agar and gelatine show that the gas in the above-mentioned time 

 penetrates to the depth of three-quarters of an inch. Percentage 

 of gas, 6 per cent. Hatch sealed by customs-officer. 



"Experiment No. 9. — Recent cultivation on agar-agar, of 

 spirillum cholera Asiatica, spirillum Finkler-Prior, bacillus anthra- 

 cis, bacillus coli communis, bacterium yellow-fever (?), staphylo- 

 coccus pyogenes albus, were placed in hold of bark ' Antonio 

 Georgio,' in ballast, from Havana to New Orleans. Ballast and in- 

 terior of hold well washed down with bichloride solution. Fumi- 

 gation, an hour and a half. 150 pounds of sulphur used. Time of 

 exposure, two hours. No effect on the organisms. 



"Experiment No. 10. — A basket containing surface cultiva- 

 tions on agar-agar, of spirillum cholera Asiatica, bacillus anthracis, 

 bacillus typhi abdominalis, bacillus coli communis, bacillus muris- 

 septicus, staphylococcus pyogenes albus, bacterium yellow-fever, 

 was placed in forward compartment of steamship ' Inventor,' 

 down under bags of coffee, being well covered up. Fumigation 

 lasted four hours. 275 pounds of sulphur consumed. Hatch was 

 then closed for seven hours, when it became necessary, on account 

 of the chain-locker communicating with the compartment, to open 

 the hatch and place wind-sail in position, in order to drive out the 

 gas, so that anchor could be raised. The basket was removed on 

 arrival in New Orleans, twenty hours after, at which time the fumes 

 were still quite strong. Examination showed all cultivations to be 

 'alive, though slight inhibitory effect was noticed. 



" Cultivation -tubes containing agar-agar and gelatine that were 

 exposed at the same time to SO3 completely inhibited the growth 

 of all micro-organisms tested. 



" Experiment No. it. — Cultivations on agar-agar, of spirillum 

 cholera Asiatica, bacillus anthracis, bacillus typhi abdominalis, 

 bacillus murissepticus, staphylococcus pyogenes albus, placed in 

 rear compartment of steamship ' Inventor,' at a point farthest from 

 the entrance of SO^. Cargo, sugar. Fumigation for four hours 

 and thirty minutes. 300 pounds sulphur used ; hatch then sealed. 

 On arrival in New Orleans; twenty-two hours later, the hatch was 

 opened and an attempt made to remove the basket, but the fumes 

 of the gas were so strong that this could not be accomplished for 

 two hours and a half. Examination of the cultivations showed that 

 all micro-organisms were dead except that of anthrax. 



" Cultivation-tubes containing agar-agar and gelatine showed the 

 same inhibitory power as in the preceding experiment. 



" Experiment No. 12. — A litre of air was collected in sterilized 

 vessels before and after the application of sulphur dioxide. Ex- 

 amination was made for the purpose of determining whether or not 

 the gas exercised a germicidal effect on the micro-organisms of the 

 air in the ship's hold. 



" A series was collected that had been exposed one, two, four, 

 and eight hours respectively, samples having been collected pre- 

 vious to application of the gas for the purpose of making control 

 observations. None of the series showed diminution in number. 



"Experiment No. 13. — Cultivation-tubes containing pepton- 

 ized agar-agar, gelatine, and rags, exposed for one, two, and four 

 hours, show a decided inhibitory effect on all micro-organisms that 

 were tested. Those exposed for six, eight, and twenty hours to 

 sulphur dio.xide killed all non-spore-bearing germs. 



" It has been our intention to show by the foregoing observations 

 upon the methods practised in carrying out the present system of 

 quarantine at this station whether or not it is efficient ; if not, to 

 show its defects, and how remedied. 



