154 
ON DEODORIZATJON AND DISINFECTION. 
fluid is odourless, it is consequently greatly superior to this last, 
and it also perfectly overcomes the autopsic odour. When one has 
made an autopsy, there is generally some odour attaching to his 
hands for several hours, but by dipping them for a minute or two 
in the fluid, this odour disappears. In Montreal the Burnett fluid 
has been successfully used for anatomical purposes by Dr. G. 
Campbell, Dr. Arnoldi, jun., Dr. Wright, Dr. Baker, and others, 
and has come up to the recommendations given of it by Professor 
Sharpey, Mr. Partridge, Mr. Bowman, and Mr. Pettigrew, of Lon- 
don, Sir James Murray of Dublin, and others concerned in the 
teaching of anatomy. In Quebec the fluid was employed by Dr. 
Racey, while making post-mortem preparations; and i shewed to 
several medical men there the difference between a portion of sub- 
ject treated with this fluid and another part left untouched. 
II. — Of the Deodorizing Properties of the Burnett Fluid. 
1. With regard to its action on feculent odours, we may ob- 
serve that feculent matter contains — 1, ammonia ; 2, sulphuretted 
hydrogen; 3, decomposing animal matter, combined with ammonia; 
4, occasionally fresh animal matter (as in some diseases where 
there is a motion soon after taking food). When the fluid is added 
to the above matter, the chloride of zinc acts on the fresh animal 
matter, prevents decomposition, and the consequent evolution of 
disodour ; also, on the decomposing animal matter, preventing 
further decomposition ; part of the chloride of zinc gives its chlo- 
rine, and the sulphuretted hydrogen gives its hydrogen to the 
ammonia to form odourless muriate of ammonia ; the sulphur 
combining with the zinc to form sulphuret of zinc. As the am- 
monia is the vehicle of the feculent odour, feculent matter ceases 
to have any effluvium as soon as the ammonia becomes muriate 
of ammonia. 
2. With respect to the action of the fluid on urinous odours, 
among the ingredients of the urine are — 1, ammonia; 2, decom- 
posing animal matter (mucus); 3, according to Prout, phosphu- 
retted hydrogen is occasionally present ; 4, water. 
The solution instantly and permanently removes the odour of 
foetid urine by there being formed muriate of ammonia and phos- 
phuret of zinc; while part of the chloride of zinc, or oxide of zinc, 
acts on the decomposing animal matter. 
3. The odour of bilge-water depends on sulphuretted hydrogen : 
and this gas is produced on board ship from the wood decomposing 
and resolving itself into carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, and these 
acting on the sulphates of lime and magnesia in sea-water. I find 
that the fluid instantly destroys the odour of bilge-water; there 
being formed sulphuret of zinc and muriatic acid. Any remaining 
