508 GENERAL THERAPEUTIC MEASURES 



instruments, and other metallic implements and fixtures, are injured by 

 corrosive sublimate solutions. Carbolic acid is more expensive than corro- 

 sive sublimate, and less efficient in cases where the latter is applicable. 

 Carbolic acid can, however, be used to disinfect albuminous material and 

 metallic substances. It is employed on animal excreta in 5 per cent, 

 aqueous solution (about 8 ounces to the gallon of hot water). This solu- 

 tion will cause the hands to dry, crack and fissure if they are immersed 

 in it for any length of time. A two per cent, solution of commercial 

 cresol is as efficient and cheaper than a five per cent, carbolic acid Solu- 

 tion; or a four per cent, solution of the U. S. P. compound solution of 

 cresol may be used. 



Chlorinated lime and quicklime are good disinfectant agents to mix 

 with animal evacuations. In fact, bleaching powder is probably the best 

 and cheapest disinfectant we possess for use in privies, drains, sinks, 

 cesspools, and sewers, and for the destruction of micro-organisms on 

 floors, and in feces and urine. 



A few pounds of this preparation may be thrown into privies or 

 cesspools once a week, and the pure compound, or a saturated solution, 

 may be scattered over floors or mixed with manure. A 5 per cent, solu- 

 tion is used to disinfect harness, which should be washed and greased 

 directly afterwards. Stagnant and putrid water may be rendered safe 

 and drinkable, after some hours, by the addition of % to 1 ounce to each 

 65 gallons of water. Chlorinated lime is a powerful deodorant as well as 

 disinfectant, but is of no value in either capacity unless the compound 

 contains so much chlorine gas that the face cannot be held near it with- 

 out the production of great irritation to the eyes. It is used in 5 to 10 

 per cent, solution in water (or in whitewash) for disinfection of premises 

 and on excreta. Bleaching powder should be placed upon decomposing, 

 animal bodies, and sheets wet with a saturated solution should be wrapped 

 about the carcasses of animals dead from contagious diseases, to prevent 

 infection during transportation. Disinfection by sulphurous acid and 

 chlorine gas is done to destroy germs which cannot be reached by other 

 methods. Five pounds of sulphur and two ounces of turpentine or alco^ 

 hoi (to afford moisture and aid combustion) are needful for every 1000 

 cubic feet of air space. Sulphur is generally burned in an iron vessel 

 placed on sand, or floating in a tub of water. If the building is suffi- 

 ciently tight to insure proper disinfection, it is difficult to secure com- 

 bustion of the proper amount of sulphur. To obviate this, the sulphur 

 may be saturated with turpentine, ignited and placed in an iron kettle 

 on a tripod over an alcohol lamp. Chlorine is disengaged from chlo- 

 rinated lime, to which is added crude muriatic acid, one pound of the 

 former to three of the latter for every 5,000 cubic feet of air space. 

 Buildings must be tightly sealed and made completely irrespirable for 

 animals during the space of three hours. Sulphurous acid disinfection 

 will not kill the spores of anthrax and should never be allowed to replace 

 thorough mechanical cleansing and disinfection with other chemical 

 agents, but may be utilized, as an additional safeguard. Chlorine gas is 

 more reliable. Formaldehyde is now being employed by most boards of 

 health for general disinfectant purposes, and it appears to be the best 



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