442 DISINFECTION 



markedly inhibited, when the sulphurous gas (SO^) did not 

 much exceed -25 per cent. But the bacillus was killed where the 

 sulphur fumes exceeded -5 per cent. Both these results had 

 reference to the SO^ in the air in the centre of the room at a height 

 of 4 feet, and after the lapse of four hours. There can be little 

 doubt that thoroughly fuming a sealed-up room with sulphur in a 

 moist atmosphere, and leaving it thus for twenty-fours, is generally 

 if not always, efficient disinfection. Moreover, its simplicity of 

 adoption is greatly in its favour. Anyone can readily apply it by 

 purchasing a few pounds weight of ordinary roll sulphur and burning 

 this in a saucer in the middle of a room which has had all its crevices 

 and cracks in windows and walls blocked up with pasted paper.* 

 But it is almost useless as a gaseous disinfectant unless used in a 

 particular way. The following seem to be the only lines upon which 

 anything like adequate disinfection can be secured by means of 

 sulphur : — 



1. The room to be disinfected must be effectually sealed up. 



2. Not less than 3 lbs. of sulphur should be used for every 

 1000 cubic feet. 



3. Twenty-four hours should elapse between the time of lighting 

 the sulphur and the unsealing of the room. 



4. The air in the room should be damp during the process, and 

 this may be achieved by steam, or spraying the walls with water, or 

 suspending wet blankets. By this means sulphurous acid is formed, 

 which is the essential part of the process. 



5. At the end of the twenty-four hours the doors and windows 

 should be kept wide open for at least one, and if possible for two, days. 



6. Purniture and fixtures should, as far as possible, be wiped 

 down with a damp cloth soaked in carbolic or some other disinfectant 

 solution. Dry dusting or sweeping should be strongly deprecated. 

 The walls may be stripped in cases where they are very dirty or 

 where there has been a recurrence of a disease. Sulphur fumigation 

 is not sufficient in disinfection after consumption. 



The conclusions of Dr Novy respecting the efficacy of sulphur 

 fumes as a disinfectant may be added. He urges that "sulphur 

 fumes possessed little or no action on most bacteria when in a 

 dried state. If, however, the specimens are actually wet, they 

 will be destroyed except in the state of the resistant forms, such 

 as spore stage and tubercle bacilli. For tubercle bacilli or spore- 

 containing material, wet or dry, it is of no value. It can be used 

 for the disinfection of rooms which have been infected with 

 ordinary disease organisms. From 3 to 6 lbs. of sulphur must be 

 burned in each 1000 cubic feet of space. The walls, floors, and 

 articles should be sprayed with water. The room should be made 

 * See also Public Health, 1900, p. 438 et seq. 



