2o8 MANUAL OF BACTERIOLOGY. 



hypochlorite (chloride of lime) is the best for general use, 

 and the spit-cup should be kept nearly full of this solution. 

 Sputum may also be disinfected by exposure to the action of 

 steam in the steam sterilizer or by boiling for fifteen minutes. 

 If napkins or old pieces of cloth are used for the reception 

 of sputum, they may be immediately destroyed in a fire. 



Disinfection after Postmortems. — After autopsies on infectious 

 cases it is necessary to disinfect the table and fluid products 

 coming from it prior to emptying into the sewer. The table 

 may be successfully disinfected by a liberal sprinkling with 

 4 per cent, calcic hypochlorite solution. All fluids should be 

 treated with an equal quantity of the same solution. The 

 table should not be cleaned for at least one hour after appli- 

 cation of the disinfectant. The same rule applies to the dis- 

 infection of the fluids — an exposure of at least one hour to 

 the disinfectant before final disposition. 



The Cadaver in Contagious Diseases. — In cases of death 

 from a contagious disease all the orifices of the body should 

 be packed with cotton soaked in a strong solution (1-500) 

 of bichloride of mercury, the skin washed with a i-iooo 

 solution, and the cadaver wrapped in a sheet wet with the 

 same. The funeral should be private and the body disposed 

 of within twenty-four hours, preferably by cremation. 



House Disinfection. — After infectious disease it is essential 

 that the house or the apartment in which the patient has been 

 confined should be disinfected. It is rarely necessary to carry 

 out the process in more than two rooms; but should it be so, 

 the process can be apphed to the whole house. 



After thorough bathing of the patient, preferably with an 

 antiseptic soap, the individual should be wrapped in a clean 

 sheet and removed to a clean room. All articles or materials 

 that are of Httle value should be destroyed. AU bedding, 

 towels and the like should be placed in wooden tubs and cov- 

 ered with a i-iooo solution of bichloride of mercury. The 



