202 GENERAL THERAPEUTICS FOR VETERINARIANS 



concentrated milk of lime (1 : 3) and dilute milk of lime (1 : 20), 

 the concentrated solution being applied as a whitewash, and 

 the dilute solution being used to disinfect the floors and also 

 as an addition to manure and urine. A single application of 

 dilute milk of lime (1 : 20) kills the bacteria of fowl cholera, a 

 triple application (1 : 20) destroys the bacilli of glanders; a single 

 application of concentrated milk of lime (1 : 3) kills the bacilli of 

 swine erysipelas, the hog cholera bacillus, the anthrax bacilli 

 and typhoid fever bacilli. Lime operates only in its free state as 

 a caustic; it loses its disinfectant properties as soon as it combines 

 with acids; the carbonate, phosphate, sulphate and nitrate of 

 lime are ineffective. It must be added to the substances to be 

 disinfected (manure, urine) in sufficient quantity to make the 

 reaction of the mixture strongly alkaline, because, under certain 

 conditions, the growth of microorganisms is facilitated if the 

 reaction of an acid substance is rendered neutral or only weakly 

 alkaline. Since the preparation of milk of lime from burned linie 

 is somewhat difficult and complicated, lime from lime pits may be 

 used, but the upper layer should first be removed. 



Special consideration has been given to the disinfection of 

 manure from slaughter houses and cattle yards with lime, espe- 

 cially the composting of manure with and without lime. With the 

 exception of anthrax, black leg, glanders, rinderpest and rabies, 

 in which it is best to bum the manure, in all other cattle infec- 

 tions the manure can be certainly, simply and cheaply disinfected 

 with a fresh, dilute milk of lime and without injuring its agricul- 

 tural value. In composting without lime, a temperature suffi- 

 ciently high (60 to 70° C.) is developed to exert a disinfectant 

 action upon the organisms of swine erysipelas, fowl cholera, 

 glanders, contagious pneumonia, strangles, tuberculosis, hemor- 

 rhagic septicaemia, etc., provided care is taken to have the manure 

 moderately moist (straw: manure — 3: 2), piled rather loosely and 

 covered with material that conducts heat poorly (Pfeiler, Bohtz). 



Calx chlorinata. Chloride of lime. This is more powerful 

 than lime; in a solution of 1 : 3 it kills even anthrax spores. It is 

 therefore superior to lime for whitewashing walls, washing floors, 



