The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-10-01
Dtseeiianp.'
FROM TRE N. r: DAIL1- ADVERTISER.
OFFICE OF TIE BOARD OF HEALTH.
l7tk September, 1905.

lTtI September, 1905.
SIR,
am directed by the Board of Health to
caufe the following important communication
from DIR. Samuel Bard to DR.. David Hofack,
to be publifhet.. j fhall therefore efteem it rs
a favour, if you will give it place in your ufe-
ful paper.
I am, Cir, with the ereatef refpe6t,
Ionr mot obedient frrvant,
JAMES HARDIE.
VIM. COLEMAN, Efq.
"MY DEAR SIR,
"Mr. Livingnon our late miu;fter. put into
my bands a few days fince, treatife on the
means of dfinfetting the air, and of preventing
and checking tie progreis of cohtagion, by L.
B. Guyton Morveau, which, if you have not
ften, / earnenly recommend to your perufal.
In the mean time as it is a late publication, and
but few copies have reached this country, fend
you this concile account of it; and if you think
as do, that what it propofes deferves our mot
ferrous attention, and that the means he recon-
mends ought, on proper occahons, to have fair
and candid trial; you may by tending them to
the public papers give them all the publicity
you can. Guyton Morveau's theory and prac-
tice are built upon the fnppoii,ion that the poi
ION at Infection, particularly in the inftances Of
jail, hofpitaI, and Hip fever, yellow fever, and
plague, arifes from, and is competed of exhaa-
lions from purifying animal and vegetable fub-
RANGES, and that thefe are TO he feiZed on, che
inically changed, .neutralized, and rendered in
offeniive by acids. You will perceive that this
is the fame tentiment and leads to a practice f.
mllar to that defcrihcd by Dr. Carmichael Smyth,
and fucceisfuily made ufe Of by him in purify
ing the air, and topping tie rrncrefs of terri
bile difeafs in the Hofpital of Wincheter, ard
under his directions alto on board the Hofpital
flip and the Ruiiian feet at Sheernefs; for which
fervice he received reward OF five thoufand
pounds fering from the Parliament of Great
britain. Guyton Morvcau, however, claims
the honour OF this difcovery, and proves that he
praciied If 10 early as the year 1878, when he
publihed an account of his fuccefs in purifying
by thefe means, the air of the principal church
at DIXON, rendered iniupportably offenfive by
eEnptying the iepulchral vaults, belonging to it {;
whereas DR.. Smyth' diicovrry was not publilll-
ed before the year 1900.
1t appears from Guyton Morveau's fats and
experiments that all acids in Gate of gas poi
ieis the power of neutralizing, changing
and correcting putrid and contagious exhalati-
onS.
Common vinegar, wanting the volatility ne
cciiary to render it efiicacious in purifying the
air, Ia only ufeful in its fluid fate, in which
iorm' however, IT is OF great advantage when
employed IN waihing the clothing, bedding, and
apartments OF the fick. When obtained in the
form OF acetic acid, or radical vinegar, it poef-
fes all the volatility necefIary for rendering the
air pure, and becomes very effic acious, and per-
teesiy fafe and agreeable in its application, but
Il is too expeniive for general uie. The vitrio-
c acid, as it is eafiy obtained in volatile fate
from burning fulphur, appears to be as power
iul correetor as any other, but from the fuffo
eating nature OF its fumes, its ufe is confined to
purifying empty fhips, the empty apartments
of hotpitals, prifons, and private houfes, and
particularly to purifying clothes, bedding, and
goods in clofe rooms. The nitric acid poiIei1es
all the volatility and activity necet1ary, and was
made nfc Of by DR.. Smyth unquefionably with
great ef!ecf, but trcquires great care and minute
attention TO variety of circumstances, to rem
derit perfectly inofenGve to the flick and their
attendants, and from a little mifmanagement
red ald;tuftocating fumes are apt to arife, which
render its application in a variety of the mott
important fituations fomcwhat difficult. The
rnurlatic acid is recommended by Guyton Nor
veau as poifetipg. particularly when fuphra
Originated, greater degree of volatility and
activity than any other, as penetrating every re-
cefs and corner where infection may Turk, as be-
ing eafy in its application, and fate and inoffen-
FIVE to the tick ard attendants, and on the whole
as afording the mott fure, the mot eafy, and
lcaf ezpeniive mode of diinfeteng the air, cor
recting and denroying contagion, and checking
Che progrefS of Jail, hofpta, and fhip fever, vel
low fever and plague. He defcribes two pro-
ceHes for obtaining this Object: the FRI for def
troying infection in ihips, in the empty wards of
hofpitals aud infirmaries, in the fore houfes of
infected goods, in rooms in which pcrfons have
died of infectious difeafes, and in other places
contaminated by purifying fubfance. Placein
the middle OF the apartments to be purified,
chahng diih ct live Goals, upon it an iron difh
or any other veffel that will bear the neceffary
heat, I'll IT nearly with fand, fink in the and
bowl OF glsfs, china, or ftone ware, containing
quantity of common falt; let the windows
and chimney he clofe fhut, and as foon AS the
fnd and falt fhail have become heated, pour
on the falt common vitriolc acid (o Of vitriol y
leave the room Immediately and keep it clofe
fi1ut for feven or eight hours. For the large
ward OF an hofpital containing fifteen or twenty
beds, and about 500 or 1000 fquare feet, and of
proportional height, nine ounf es of faIt, and
ieven OF oil Of vitriol will be fufficent. A room
from IL to ] feet fquare will not require more
than about one ounce Of common fait ard a.
bout 9-4tbs Of an ounce of oil of vitriol. I pur-
pofely avoid Gnyton Morveau's exacnefs in
thefe proportions, as the only Inconvenience of
u6ng too much of either of thefe ingredients
is tri1ing waite, and the only caution neceGa-
ry is not to ute too little. BY this management
r9Mwsk 49,.