No. 3. 
ip^One hundred cubic centimeters formalin on cotton in corners, cul- 
' tures between layers of sheets, twenty-four hours. 
' Twenty-five cubic centimeters formalin poured on absorbent cotton 
tucked into each corner of a box 2 by 2 by 2 feet. One hundred cubic 
i centimeters in all. 
j ; The freshly prepared, moist slips of filter paper, impregnated with 
j'! bouillon cultures placed between layers of sheets. Box opened after 
j_. twenty -four hours. ‘ 
iii 
Layers of sheets. 
Typhoid. 
Anthrax 
spores. 
Diph- 
theria. 
9 
4- 
+ 
+ ! 
8 
16 
(c)- 
(c)- 
+ 1 
-h 1 
24 
Controls 
+ 
-r 
-f 
c Contaminated. 
No. 4. 
Twenty -five cubic centimeters formalin saturated on cotton and sus- 
pended in box. Cultures between layers of sheets. Twenty-four hours. 
Twenty-five cubic centimeters formalin poured on a pledget of 
I absorbent cotton, suspended in a box, 15 by 15 by 15 inches. 
Fresh moist cultures on slips of filter paper placed between layers of 
|sheets, laid without pressure at bottom of box. Twenty-four hours’ 
exposure. 
Layers of sheets. 
Typhoid. 
Anthi-ax 
spores. 
Diph- 
theria. 
9 
10 

17 
-f- 
41 
4 - 
-f 
57 
4 - 
-L 
73 
— 
-f- ' 
-f 
89 
— 
-+- 
-f 
Controls 
-4- 
-f- 
-f 
From the foregoing four experiments (Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4) it is plain 
that even large quantities of formalin do not, in twenty-four liours, give 
off sufficient formaldehyd to penetrate between the layers of blankets or 
sheets when poured on absorbent material in the corners of, or suspended 
in a box. The pledgets of absorbent cotton are still moist after twenty- 
four hours’ exposure and the formaldehyd gas has not been liberated from 
its solution in sufficient quantity to be effective between the layers of 
a blanket loosely laid on the bottom of the box. Slightly better effect 
is found with sheets. 
The method is, therefore, not applicable for disinfection, with twenty- 
four hours’ exposure. 
