216 CANINE DISTEMPER 
Fumigation.—Buildings or rooms may be disinfected 
throughout by means of fumigation with poisonous 
gases, and to be effective the rooms must be entirely 
closed, so that no outlet remains for the premature escape 
of the fumes generated. All windows, fireplaces, venti- 
lators, and doors must be sealed by stuffing paper in 
their cracks and crevices, after which the gases are 
liberated and allowed to pervade the air for about twenty- 
four hours. Sulphurous acid gas can be produced by 
burning sulphur on a red-hot iron plate; or the sulphur 
may be placed in an old iron saucepan, moistened with 
a little methylated spirit, and ignited ; or sulphur candles 
manufactured for the purpose may be burnt. The fumes 
of sulphur, however, are not really very efficacious, as I 
have known flies and spiders on two or three occasions 
to recover, even after several hours’ exposure. Further, 
the fumes have a decidedly deleterious effect on metals, 
and for this reason are frequently impracticable. Fora 
small room, the burning of about 14 lbs. is usually con- 
sidered sufficient, but it has been found that if bacteria 
are protected—z.e., when they are in the middle of small 
bundles of clothes, rugs, etc.—no effect is produced on 
them, even by an atmosphere containing a large propor- 
tion of the sulphurous acid gas. To fumigate 1,000 cubic 
feet, 5 lbs. of sulphur are required. 
Formalin.—Probably the best ‘fumigator is formalin, 
which can be obtained in tablet form, the tablets being 
placed in a receptacle beneath which is a methylated 
spirit stove. The amount of formalin required is 
governed by the cubic space of the room, and it is advis- 
able to allow twelve hours to elapse before throwing 
open the windows and doors. Its fumes are colourless 
and odourless, and cause no damage to metals, furniture, 
or hangings. Its effect on dry organisms is very much 
less than on wet ones, so that a moist atmosphere 
would appear to be helpful. Another method of pro- 
ducing formalin gas is by mixing together 20 ozs. of 
formalin and 16 ozs. of permanganate of potash crystals. . 
