2S2 STERILIZATION, ANTISEPSIS AND DISINFECTION 
5. Ozone. — Nascent oxygen in actual contact with bacteria is a 
powerful germicide, and aside from the cost of production, it is of 
value for the ])iu"ification of water for domestic purposes. As an 
aerial disinfectant, however, it has been disappointing. 
PRACTICAL DISINFECTION. 
Sputum.— The bacteria and other microorganisms which incite 
disease of the mouth, nose and respiratory tract leave the patient 
chiefly in the nasal secretion and sputum. They are eliminated in 
"droplets" of sputum during violent expulsion of the expired air, as in 
coughing and sneezing. The patient, therefore, should be instructed 
to cough or sneeze into paper or cloth napkins, to prevent the escape 
of infected droplets of sputum, and to expectorate into a sputum 
box provided with a cover. The paper napkins should be placed in 
a covered receptacle and eventually burned. Cloth napkins may be 
satisfactorily treated by complete immersion in hailing water for at 
least fifteen minutes. 
Sputum may be disinfected with 5 per cent carbolic or cresol solu- 
tion, or with a 5 per cent solution of formalin. At least one hour's 
exposure to the disinfectant is required. 
Vomitus.— An elimination of pathogenic bacteria from the body 
in vomitus is by no means impossible, although relatively little atten- 
tion has been paid to this subject in the past. The cholera vibrio is 
probably the most formidable organism to be reckoned with, but the 
possibility of typhoid bacilli must be borne in mind. Vomitus should 
be handled with the same precautions as infected feces. 
Feces and Urine.— Those organisms which are the etiological agents 
of infections involving the gastro-intestinal tract, as typhoid, dysen- 
tery, paratyphoid bacilli and cholera vibrios, amoebse and probably 
the unknown excitants of the "intestinal disorders" escape from the 
diseased host chiefly in the feces, and occasionally in the urine. 
The feces and urine should be received in porcelain or metal con- 
tainers of appropriate pattern to prevent mechanical loss of material 
and immediately mixed with twice the volume of carbolic acid or 
cresol solution, an equal volume of 5 per cent formalin solution, or 
wuth chloride of lime in the proportion of 10 per cent of the total 
volume of feces and urine. The fecal mass, unless completely fluid, 
should be intimately mixed with the disinfectant solution and allowed 
to remain in contact with it at least one hour. The soiled parts of the 
patient should be wiped with a cloth dipped in 2 per cent carbolic 
acid or cresol solution, then with water to remove the disinfectant. 
The cloths should be either placed at once in briskly boiling water, or 
in the bedpan, and treated with the feces. 
Fomites.— Soiled linen, clothing and bedding should be immersed 
in a liberal amount of 2 or 3 per cent carbolic acid solution and left 
at least two hours. An exposure of fifteen minutes in briskly boiling 
