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! 
and ma}" act as fomites. The bacillus lives for months when dry in 
albuminous media at temperatures under 20^ C. 
(8) Food products ma}" cany the infection of plague. The bacillus 
lives a long- time in milk, cheese, and butter. It usually dies quickly : 
on the surface of fruits and prepared foods. 
(9) The organism ma}^ live a long time in water, although plague , 
is not a water-borne disease. ; 
(10) The plague bacillus does not live long on paper, and first-class | 
mail is therefore not apt to conve}" the infection. * 
(11) The colder the climate the greater the danger of conveying the j 
infection on fomites — clothing, bedding, food., merchandise, etc. — and i 
more extensive disinfection is required in such a climate in combating i 
the disease than in tropical regions. | 
(12) The plague bacillus is destro}"ed by sulphur fumigation and by ' 
formaldehyde gas in the strengths in which these disinfectants are 
usually emplo}^ed. The gases can only be depended upon as surface ' 
disinfectants. In disinfecting ships, warehouses, dwellings, and other . 
places infested with rats, fleas, and vermin, sulphur is better than : 
formaldeh}"de, because formaldehyde gas fails to kill the higher forms 
of animal life. 
(13) A temperature of 70° C. continued a short time is invariably ' 
fatal for the plague bacillus. The ordinary antiseptics are all effica- 
cious in their usual strength for nonspore-bearing organisms. Efficient 
surface disinfection may be accomplished b\" exposing objects all day 
to the direct sunshine on warm days. The temperature in the sun : 
must be above 30° C. 
