SANITATION 27 



For disinfecting with sulphur fumes, the ordi- 

 nary commercial flowers of sulphur should be used. 

 It must be burned in the building to generate sul- 

 phur dioxide, which is effective in disinfection only 

 in the presence of water vapor; therefore some 

 means for providing the necessary moisture in 

 the building must be provided. This may be ac- 

 complished by spraying the walls and ceiling until 

 they are dripping, just before beginning the disin- 

 fecting, or by boiling a large vessel of water in 

 the building during the generation of the sulphur 

 fumes. 



Fire is required to generate the sulphur fumes 

 and care must be taken not to endanger the build- 

 ing with it. A large iron vessel partly filled with 

 live coals may be used ; set it on the floor, or if the 

 floor be of combustible material, on several bricks 

 laid on the floor, and pour onto the live coals two 

 pounds of sulphur for each 1,000 cubic feet of 

 space in the building. Care should be taken to as- 

 certain that the sulphur actually begins to burn. 



The building should remain hermetically sealed 

 for from twelve to twenty-four hours and then 

 be thoroughly aired before the fowls are admitted. 



Compared with hydrocyanic acid and formalde- 

 hyde, sulphur dioxide is a feeble disinfectant, but 

 effective work may be done with it by a thorough, 

 careful application, and attention to all details. 



The disinfection of the drinking water and 

 drinking fountains is discussed fully under 

 ' ' Water Supply. " ( See page 22. ) 



Disinfectants that can be applied in liquid form 

 are best suited for disinfecting the ordinary 

 poultry house. It requires longer to apply them 

 than it does to prepare for disinfection by gas, 

 and germs and parasites protected in crevices and 



