The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1868-08-05
For the Newberry Herald.
To The Public,

It,has always been my opinion, that the
health Of a community should not be conf
ded solely to the Medical Practitioner. The
study and practice of Hygiene-that is, the
investigation and application Of prioci-
plies to the prevention of :disease-surely
belong to the people. 1t is not my iuten-
ton. however, to insist upon this, as pop
ular duty, except in one Of its branches,
namely, disinfection-the publication OF the
air we breathe. The importance and ,prae-
ticabiiity of this, has been felt by every
body. Who has not scattered lime about his
house, in the hope of diminishing the fire.
quency, or moderating the severity of sick.
ness? This hope has often been disap.
pointed on account of the feebieness com:
lined with the bulk and consequent high
price Of the disiufectants employed. Bat,
recently, new agent has been introduced
into practice, with such satisfactory results,
rs to remove from consideration all the
articles hitherto in use for this purpose.
This agent is -Carbolic Acid. It was dis.
covered more than thirty years ago, in Ger
many, bu: only recently brought to notice.
There are two kinds of this substance-one
dark brown fluid, known as COMMERCIAL
Carbelic Acid other is, when kept
from the air, acrystaliine solid. This lat
ter is solely for the physician and surgeon !;
and its immense value in the treatment Of
various diseases is now undergoing demon
stration. The commercial or fluid CarboIc
Acid is used for disinfecting purposes, and
it is to this,I wish to eafl the attention of
the people,,
Its effect is to destroy all low forms
of Observation-Disclosures to arrest putre-
faction and fermentation. This is exem7
plifed every day, now, in the, US. of the
fruit.preserVing fnd-the active ingredient
in this preparation being undoubtedly Gar
bolic Acid. Now, the researches Of the
learned in medicine, have, for many years,
been more and more convergiag to- the
opinion, that malaria-fever.poison--is ami
From every locality where -ani,
NAL or vegetable matter is undergoing pu-
srefaction, myriads Of microscopic locusts s.,
infinitely 700 small toIbe seen by the natural
eye-go forth into the atmosphere which
We breathe I; enter our lungs, and perhaps,
swarming along the current of our blood,
visit every moiecule Of our bodies, On their
mission Of death. In this way, it is thought,
the various types of fever are produced Now
here is briefly the point. Carbolic Acid
destroys these animaleules. There is.no
doubt Of this. 1t kills the cockroach, drives
off house-aies, destroys vermiR. upon api,
mails, cheese-nites, and all that class and
the strength sufficient to accomplish this de
struction, is perfectly innocuous to crea-
lures OF higher organization than insects.
My suggestion is, then, that every house,
should, at once, procure pint Of fluid Car
bolic Acid, and use it as follows Put one
half ounce of the Acid into gallon of boil
ing water. Filter the solution thus made,
to remove anything from it that might pro-
duce grease spots. The disinfectant is then
ready for use. An ordinary wineglassful of
this solution should be sprinkled iA every
room in the house, every day or two. Let
it also be applied under the house, and to-
every place that gives rise to impure air.
It removes all manner Of fetor, instanta;
1eously. No sick room should be without
t. One dollar will purchase enough to dis.
infect one house for six months. Let the
people put their shoulders to this wheel,
md see what can be done for the improve:
nent of health.
O. B. MAYOR, n. D.