Aj;,mTry/i9i4m"}       Books  as  a  Source  of  Disease.  13 
about  15  minutes,  then  cooled  and  filtered  and  1-1000  sodium  chloride 
added. 
The  following  formula  has  been  fairly  satisfactory : 
Bismuth  Subnitrate    50.0 
Nitric  Acid   50.0 
Ammonium  Carbonate    80.0 
Distilled  water  to  make   1000.0 
Dilute  the  nitric  acid  with  an  equal  volume  of  water  and  dissolve 
the  bismuth  subnitrate  in  it,  dilute  further  to  300  c.c.  and  filter 
through  cotton. 
Dissolve  the  ammonium  carbonate  in  3000  c.c.  distilled  water 
containing  1-1000  sodium  chloride  and  filter. 
Pour  the  acid  solution  slowly  and  with  constant  stirring  into 
the  alkaline  solution.  When  the  resulting  precipitate  has  subsided, 
decant  the  supernatent  liquor  and  wash  by  decantation  until  the 
Magma  is  practically  tasteless,  using  distilled  water  containing 
1-1000  sodium  chloride.    Then  allow  to  settle  to  1000  c.c. 
When  tested  the  Magma  should  react  alkaline  toward  methyl 
orange. 
BOOKS  AS  A  SOURCE  OF  DISEASE. 
By  William  R.  Reinick. 
I  do  not  for  a  moment  want  anyone  to  think  that  I  am  endeavor- 
ing to  prove  that  books,  as  fomites,  are  so  dangerous  that  they 
should  be  shunned  like  the  plague,  but  simply  to  show  that  books, 
especially  when  greasy  or  moist  fingers  are  placed  upon  the  pages 
and  covers,  are  excellent  hiding  grounds  for  bacteria,  both  pathogenic 
and  non-pathogenic,  and  that  the  same  care  should  be  used  as  in 
handling  other  objects  of  like  character. 
Is  Such  Transmission  Possible? 
As  far  as  our  exact  knowledge  of  books  and  papers  as  a  source 
of  danger  is  concerned,  we,  at  the  present  time,  have  very  little 
evidence,  but  what  we  have  proves  beyond  question,  that  disease  may 
be  contracted  by  this  means.  ( )n  the  other  hand  there  are  many 
reputable  physicians  who  claim  that  transmission  by  this  means  is 
an  impossibility,  due  to  the  fact  that  the  organisms  could  not  exist 
