DISINFECTANTS AND DISINFECTION 323 



lish investigators who worked out the details of the method. In time no 

 doubt an international standard method for testing disinfectants will be 

 adopted. This would be of inestimable value for comparative purposes. 



I. Physical and Mechanical Disinfectants 



The following is an outUne of the physical and mechanical means of 

 disinfecting. 



a. Cleanliness. — That is, bacterial cleanliness, or absence of bacteria, 

 brought about in a variety of ways. The liberal use of pure water for 

 washing, bathing and cleansing purposes, is one of the oldest methods for 

 getting rid of pathogenic and otherwise objectionable organisms. It is, at 

 the present time, one of the most effectual means of disinfection, practised 

 by the housewife, the nurse, the physician, in fact by all classes and condi- 

 tions of peoples. By bacterial cleanUness we bring about a dilution, an 

 attenuation, a dissemination of objectionable organisms to such a degree, 

 that bacterial localization and infection are greatly retarded or are made 

 impossible. Cleanliness prevents filth and dirt accumulation. 



b. Pure Air. — ^Pure air, that is air free from disease organisms, is a 

 prime essential in preventive medicine. Not only should the air we 

 breathe, be free from bacterial infection, but it should also be free from 

 smoke, fumes, noxious gases, soot and dust. The air in many of our large 

 cities is often quite unsuitable for breathing purposes due to fumes, soot 

 and smoke from numerous furnaces and factories, stenches from sewage, 

 from stock yards, from gas factories, etc. This should not be. Stock 

 yards, glue factories, etc., should be sufliciently remote from cities to avoid 

 permeating the city with the horrible stenches emanating therefrom. 

 Smoke, fumes and noxious gases should not be permitted to escape. The 

 recent tests with smoke consumers, with the precipitation of fumes and 

 smoke by means of electricity, etc., would indicate that it is possible to 

 prevent the pollution of the atmosphere by the above agents. Just as soon 

 as there is a smoke consumer on the market that is a practical success, 

 every smoke producing furnace should be supplied with one, irrespective 

 of cost. The same should apply to the use of smelter fume precepitators. 

 Streets should be kept comparatively free from dirt and dust by means of 

 sprinkling cart and street sweepers and cleaners. 



The "no spitting" ordinances are largely a failure simply because no 

 provision is made to supply the appurtenances necessary to carry them out. 

 It is not sufficient to simply put up a notice stating that "It is unlawful to 

 spit upon the floor," but cuspidors, or other receptacles must be provided 

 in sufficient numbers, conveniently placed, and furthermore said recep- 

 tacles must be kept clean and sterilized from time to time, otherwise they 

 may become the breeding places and disseminators of disease. The 



