390 SANITARY CONDITIONS 



buminised Pood by Smith, French and Kline, of Philadelphia. Parke, Davis 

 and Co., in addition to furnishing anti-toxins, presented the medical staff 

 with several oimces of acetazone, the new remedy used with such success 

 recently in the various enteric troubles. Last but not least, we took a very 

 complete library of medical books and journals, and a thousand or more printed 

 cards for taking histories and keeping a record of the bacteriological and 

 urinary examinations made on the trip. 



As the intention was to conduct free clinics on ^hore, this mass of material 

 was so arranged that it could all be represented for the most part in two large 

 chests designed for the occasion and which could easily be removed from the 

 ship. These chests which were called separately the medical and surgical 

 chests, were made especially for the Expedition, of hard-wood fiber, carefully 

 braced and hinged with steel. The trays and drawers of these chests were so 

 numbered, that as soon as one or more parts were empty they could be filled 

 from stock boxes having a corresponding number, and hence avoiding useless 

 delay in searching for the case wanted. 



Two microscopes, both equipped with oil immersion lenses, were taken with 

 us. A formaline apparatus, large enough to disinfect our ship or any houses, 

 should this be necessary, was included in the outfit. We had especially pre- 

 pared a medical commode in the form of a box, which could be readily carried 

 on shore and which also contained an agate-ware douche-pan, bed-pan and 

 urinal. A small chest in which the histories of patients could be carefully in- 

 dexed and another containing all the bacteriological stains and appliances 

 pertaining to the bacteriological work were kept in the laboratory on shipboard. 

 In addition, there were some 10 or 13 boxes of stock material from which our 

 supplies could be replenished as they became exhausted from the portable 

 chests, and an extra surgical trunk for carrying basins, lanterns, hatchets, 

 hammers, saws, etc., for making additional splints and appliances should it be 

 necessary. 



METHODS OF WORK. 

 Before starting on the Expedition the vessel which had been chartered in 

 Baltimore, was carefully disinfected by a formaline apparatus and scrubbed 

 down with castile soap and water, and a strong solution of bichloride of 

 mercury. This was done not only for the protection of the members of the 

 Expedition, but also to render our bacteriological work less difficult, as the 

 chances of contamination of our media was much lessened under such cleanly 

 conditions. On the way out to the Bahamas a complete examination of each 



