DISINFECTION AND STERILIZATION, 173 
of these solutions. Special care should be observed to 
disinfect at once the vomited matter and the intestinal 
discharges from cholera patients. In typhoid fever 
the urine and the intestinal discharges, and in diph- 
theria, measles, and scarlet fever the discharges from 
the throat and nose, all carry infection, and should be 
treated in the same manner. The volume of the solu- 
tion used to disinfect discharges should be at least twice 
as great as that of the discharge. After standing for 
an hour or more the disinfecting solution with the dis- 
charges may be thrown into the water-closet. Cloths, 
towels, napkins, bedding, or clothing soiled by the dis- 
charges must be at once placed in the carbolic solution 
and the hands of the attendants disinfected, as described 
above. In convalescence from measles and scarlet fever 
the scales from the skin are also carriers of infection. 
To prevent the dissemination of disease by means of 
these scales the skin should be carefully washed daily in 
warm soap and water. After use the soapsuds should 
be disinfected and thrown into the water-closet. 
Masses of feces are extremely difficult to disinfect 
except on the surface, for it takes disinfectants such as 
the carbolic acid solution some twelve hours to pene- 
trate to their interior. If fecal masses are to be thrown 
into places where the disinfectant solution covering 
them will be washed off, it will be necessary to be cer- 
tain that the disinfectant has previously penetrated to 
all portions and destroyed the disease germs. This can 
be brought about by stirring them up with the disinfec- 
tant and allowing the mixture to stand for one hour, or 
by washing them into a pot holding soda solution which 
is already at the boiling temperature, or later will be 
brought to one. 
