July 13, 1888.] 



SCIENCE 



15 



atiiif on lilooil-seruiii, lincillus anthracis on agar-agar, bacillus ty- 

 phi ^ibilominalis on agar-agar, ijacillus coli comnumis on agar-agar, 

 bacillus pneiinionia; on agar-agar, bacleriiim yellow-fever (?) on 

 agar-agar, staphylococcus pyogenes albus on blood-serum, staphy- 

 lococcus pyogenes aureus on blood-serum, were suspended in 

 among blankets and mattresses in a compartment near the boiler. 

 A quarantine thermometer registered 88.8" dry heat in central 

 cliamber. Steam turned on, and kept forty-three minutes. Tem- 

 perature among blankets fell to 82.5°. Inoculations made from 

 these cultivations into peptone gelatine showed the bacillus an- 

 thracis and bacterium yellow-fever alive : all others were dead. 

 The temperature was taken on the outside of the cultivation-tubes. 



"Experiment No. 3. — Chamber filled with goods, consisting 

 chiefly of bedding and clothing of the crew. The articles were not 

 hung closely together, as the chamber was filled to only three- 

 (.[uarters of its capacity. Cultivations of spirillum choleric Asiat- 

 ica', spirillum Finkler-Prior, bacillus anthracis, bacillus pneumo- 

 nia', bacillus typhi abdominalis, bacillus coli communis, bacterium 

 ) ellow-fever (?), staphylococcus pyogenes albus, staphylococcus 

 ])yogenes aureus, were placed in a basket and arranged upon and 

 between mattresses. Thermometers being placed among cultiva- 

 tions, teinperature registered 85.5" C. dry heat in centre chamber. 

 Steam turned on, and allowed to remain twenty- seven minutes. 

 .'Ml micro-organisms dead except those of bacillus anthracis and 

 bacterium yellow-fever. Thermometer among cultivations indi- 

 cated 95.5° C. 



" Experiment No. 4. — Chamber partially filled, compartment 

 containing principally the mattresses and clothing of the crew. A 

 hair mattress was opened, and tubes containing cultivations of 

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

 cis, bacillus typhi abdominalis, bacillus coli communis, bacterium 

 yellow-fever, bacillus murissepticus, staphylococcus pyogenes albus, 

 staphylococcus pyogenes aureus, were placed within, and exposed 

 to moist heat for twenty-five minutes. A self-registering ther- 

 mometer placed among tubes indicated 75". Examination of 

 growths showed those of bacillus anthracis, bacillus murissepticus, 

 and bacterium yellow-fever to be alive: all others were killed. 



"Experiment No. 5.— Chamber well charged with goods. A 

 series of cultivation-tubes containing rags (both cotton and wool- 

 len) that had been inoculated with bacillus anthracis, bacillus typhi 

 abdominalis, bacillus pneumoniae, staphylococcus pyogenes albus, 

 staphylococcus pyogenes aureus, were placed in among mattresses 

 and blankets, and exposed for twenty minutes to moist heat. Tem- 

 perature indicated, 62.5° C. Examination showed all growths dead 

 save that of anthrax. 



"Experiment No. 6. — Clothing and bedding of steamship 

 ' Saturnina,' from Cuba to New Orleans, placed in heating-cham- 

 ber; all compartments filled. Owing to the uncleanness of the 

 crew's bedding, we suggested that a longer time be given in the 

 steaming process. Cultivations on agar-agar of spirillum cholerse 

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

 abdominalis, bacillus pneumoniae, bacillus coli communis, staphy- 

 lococcus pyogenes albus, staphylococcus pyogenes aureus, were 

 placed in the compartment, arranged on mattresses, and sur- 

 rounded by pillows. Temperature of middle chamber (quarantine 

 thermometer), 76.6° C. Left for fifty-five minutes. Thermometer 

 among cultivations indicated 67". Inoculations show all killed 

 except bacillus coli communis and bacillus anthracis. 



" Experiment No. 7. — Chamber was lightly charged, several 

 panels in each compartment being empty. Cultivations made upon 

 rags of the following : spirillum cholera; Asiatics, bacillus typhi 

 abdominalis, bacterium yellow-fever, staphylococcus pyogenes al- ' 

 bus, staphylococcus pyogenes aureus. These were suspended 

 among clothing, chiefly underwear, and allowed to remain forty min- 

 utes. A thermometer placed in a tube containing similar media 

 registered 99°. Inoculations from the tubes show that all have 

 been killed except the bacterium of yellow-fever. 



" Experiment No. 8. — Chamber filled with goods. — bedding 

 and clothing. Cultivations of spirillum cholera; Asialicif, bacillus 

 anthracis, bacillus typhi abdominalis, bacillus coli communis, bac- 

 terium yellow-fever, staphylococcus pyogenes albus, were placed in 

 heating-chamber, in its centre, arranged upon blankets and cloth- 

 ing. These were subjected to moist heat for forty minutes. Tem- 



perature indicated near cultivations was 69°. The bacillus anthra- 

 cis, bacillus typhi abdominalis, bacillus coli communis, and staphy- 

 lococcus pyogenes albus were foimcl to be alive. 



" The quantity of sulphur consumed in the fumigation of each 

 vessel is from 100 to 400 pounds, according to the size of the ves- 

 sel. Those arriving at (|uarantine during our stay at the station 

 varied from 100 to 2.000 tons burden. About 100 pounds of sul- 

 phur are consumed in an hour, and form about 1,170 cubic feet of 

 sulphur dioxide. If, as is claimed, iSo.ood cubic feet of air per 

 hour be driven into the hold or compartment of a vessel, the 

 strength of the gas would be approximately .6 per cent. 



"That that quantity of air is not driven into the hold is proven 

 by the fact that in quite a number of volumetric analyses, made on 

 various vessels at the close of fumigation ^for the purpose of deter- 

 mining the quantity of sul|)hur dioxide present), it was shown that 

 there are from 2 to 6 per cent to the too pounds of sulphur, the ca- 

 pacity of the compartments being about the same, viz., 20,000 cubic 

 feet. This does not represent the full amount of the gas generated, 

 for in all vessels there is constantly present a certain amount of 

 moisture, which absorbs the gas. 



" In the generation of the sulphur dioxide there is formed in the 

 ■ battery ' a certain amount of nitrous oxide, and, the gas being 

 quite hot (130°) as it enters the vessel, every factor is present for 

 the rapid production of sulphuric acid. The greatest percentage of 

 gas was found in holds containing coffee, still less in sugar, and 

 least in those vessels that had been treated with the bichloride so- 

 lution previous to fumigation. In these the percentage was notably 

 diminished (2 per cent), the gas being absorbed by the wetted sur- 

 faces, also uniting with the mercuric salt, forming a compound 

 which impairs germicidal power of both, and destroys penetrating 

 properties of the gas. 



' " We were informed that it was the custom formerly to put the 

 exhaust-fan in operation for an hour before, driving pure air into 

 the hold, thus aerating the vessel and cargo before fumigation was 

 commenced. This was not put in practice during our stay. Ves- 

 sels hailing from ports known to be infected are treated to a larger 

 quantity of gas, 200 pounds or more of sulphur being used to each 

 compartment. 



" In testing the germicidal power of the fumigating process it 

 was for determining whether the short time of detention practised 

 prior to June i was of sufficient duration to insure complete disin- 

 fection of vessel and cargo. 



" Where the compartments are empty or communicating with 

 the engine-room or chain-locker, the hatches are not sealed by the 

 customs authorities, and there is no assurance that the sulphur 

 fumes remain longer than a short time after the disinfection is fin- 

 ished. 



" It was noticed in several instances where the forward hatch com- 

 municated with the chain-locker or engine-rooin. that the hatches 

 were removed immediately after fumigation, and a wind-sail put in 

 place for the purpose of driving out the fumes, so as to enable the 

 vessel to leave for New Orleans as soon as possible. 



"Vessels having their hatches sealed are insured of at least fif- 

 teen hours' disinfection. The forecastle, after being thoroughly 

 wetted with bichloride solution, is treated to the 'pot plan," the 

 longest period of time being three hours, after which It was imme- 

 diately permitted to be throvvn open by the cresv. The following 

 experiments were made : — 



"Experiment No. i. — Spanish bark ' Pedro.' from Havana to 

 New Orleans. Thoroughly wetted down with bichloride solution. 

 A basket containing cultivations on agar-agar that had been inocu- 

 lated fifteen days previously with spirillum Finkler-Prior. bacillus 

 anthracis, bacillus typhi abdominalis, bacillus coli communis, bac- 

 terium yellow-fever, was placed about sixty feet from the hatch, 

 where the tumigating-pipe enters. The cotton plugs were removed 

 from the test-tubes. These were left for a period of ninety minutes, 

 the time occupied in the fumigation. One hundred and fifty pounds 

 of sulphur were used. Inoculations made from time to time from 

 these tubes show that all the growths were not Influenced by the 

 exposure. 



" Experiment No. 2, SO,. — Steamship ' Morgan.' Rear holil 

 compartment filled with sugar in sacks. A basket containing cul- 

 tivations prepared for exposure was placed in the hold about six- 



