84 CAUSES AND PREVENTION OP DISEASE. 



least 20 ounces per 1,000 cubic feet, should be introduced rapidly 

 into a tight room. Glycerine or borax should be added in the re- 

 tort. 



Fire. — The most reliable disinfectant, and the one that should 

 be invariably used where an article may be destroyed. 



Moist heat. — More active and reliable than dry heat at same 

 temperature. Boiling temperature for an hour will probably de- 

 stroy any known disease germs, including spores, although the 

 spores of several nonpathogenic organisms resist much longer. 

 It has the further advantage of not destroying the article disin- 

 fected. 



Corrosive sublimate. — This is sold in the form of white crys- 

 tals or powder. It dissolves in about 16 parts of water and its 

 solubility can be increased by alcohol, muratic acid or iodide of 

 potash. It is disinfectant in the proportion of I to 2000 (about 

 3 J A grains to a pint of water) and destroys germs in even more 

 dilute solution. A very convenient solution can be made by dis- 

 solving it in alcohol in the proportion of 1 to 8, then a teaspoonful 

 of this to a quart of water gives a 1 to 2000 solution. It should be 

 borne in mind that corrosive sublimate is dangerously poisonous ; 

 that it coagulates albumin, and corrodes and destroys metals. 



Sulphur. — This agent, when burned, has long been used for 

 disinfectant purposes, but is probably not as valuable as is gen- 

 erally supposed. If a very large quantity of sulphur is used, after 

 the surfaces to be disinfected have been moistened bv steam or 

 otherwise and doors and windows kept tightly closed for a long 

 period of time, then it seems to have more decided germ destroy- 

 ing" properties. There is needed about 10 pounds per 1000 cubic 

 feet of air. This may lie easily burned bv the addition of about 

 three or four ounces of alcohol, the whole being placed in an iron 

 kettle, and that in a tub of boiling water, partly for safety and 

 partly for moisture. The interior of a building can be fairlv well 

 moistened by throwing heated stones or irons into tubs of boiling 

 water, or by force pump, hose and spray nozzle. 



Sunshine. — Destroys germs. Whenever sufficient time may 

 be had, infected clothing or any article to be disinfected, espe- 

 ciallv where the infection is on the surface, can be rendered safe 

 bv long exposure to sunshine. 



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