22 
G. ARCHIE STOCK WELL. 
principles worthy of note, even at this day, including immediate 
inoculation, no matter what the season, condition of sheep, etc., 
on the breaking out of an epidemic, I recall the suggestion made 
by my friend Dr. John Hjaltelin regarding infectious and conta¬ 
gious disorders as occurring both in animals and men; and, from 
his long experience as Medical Inspector of Iceland, no one is in 
better position to know, since small-pox and typhus frequently 
run riot in that bleak corner of the world. In all epidemics, of 
whatever nature or class, he recommends the free and lavish use 
of disinfecting fluids as of untold value in limiting and opposing 
their progress by contagion. 
Sheep kept in barns, while plenty of fresh air is possible, may 
yet be subjected to the influences of disinfectants in solution, 
especially such cheap and effective agents as chlorine and bromine 
waters. A solution of zinc chloride or muriate of lime sprinkled 
about is all suffleient if dispensed with no sparing hand, and the 
free use of charcoal in coarse powder is also advisable. Such will 
not only destroy the odors so characteristic of epidemics, but fur¬ 
ther render the germs (whence the odor) innocuous. Phenol is 
objectionable because of its volatile nature, and bi-chloride of 
mercury solution, owing to its excessively poisonous nature. The 
renowned Dr. Eisenmann, of Germany, used chlorine-water for 
this very purpose with most satisfactory results; and if, in the 
close turf cabins of Iceland, where ventilation is impossible— 
where families of a dozen or twenty are crowded into one small 
«/ 
room but ten to twelve by six, oftentimes, sleeping in reversed 
order of heads, like sardines packed in a box—such simple method 
can limit the infection of malignant typhus to a single patient in 
any one habitation, as is known to have been done, the value of 
complete and thorough disinfection in incalculable and immeasur¬ 
able. 
When epidemics rage violently, there always appears a pecu¬ 
liar condition of the atmosphere of the neighborhood, perhaps due 
to high barometric pressure, perhaps to want of electric tension, 
which would lead us to believe that, after all, there is something 
in the constitutio ceris adynamica of our fathers, supposed to 
originate malignant disease, though doubtless bad “ air-constitu- 
