Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1870-01-07


marsh fever, measles, typhus and typhoid
fevers, cholera, the plague, yellow fever,
etc. Some authorities contend, with much
plausibility, that consumption, the most
dreadful curse of the human race, can be
communicated from one person to another
by means of emanations from the bodies Of
the sick. In this way they account for the
well known fact, that when one member of
a family suffers from the disease, the othors
are more or less liable to haveit. There are
in truth many arguments in favor of tuie
proposition, that long association with
consumptive may produce the disease in
healthy person. At any rate, the possibili-
ty that this is the case,-which must be adj
mitted by all should be sufficient to di-
rect attention to the means of prevention,
especially since those means are equally
efficacious in warding off other maladies,
and, when properly used, can in no wise do
harm.
In general terms, it may be stated that all
diseases tend to propagate themselves, If
not directly by contagion, yet indirectly by
becoming the sources Of peculiar poisonous
effluvia in tho air, which is necessarily
breathed by Other persons than the sick.
These efIiuvias cannot but have pernicious
influence upon the economy, and create
tendency to the disease, if they do not ac-
tually produce it.
There are many other sources of atmos-
phcric impurity besides the bodies of dis
eased persons,-such rs cesspools, sinks,
sewers, closets, decaying organic matter in
cellars or elsewhere, the bodies of healthy
persons, alvine discharges, etc, the ema-
nations from which are efficient causes of
disturbance in the system. Typhus fever
bears the different names of camp fever,
Jail fever, and ship fever, because it is sup
posed to be induced by breathing the bad
air of such confined and filthy localities.
Typhoid fever, also, has been called night
soil fever in accordance with the theory
that the contagious principle of the disease
is contained in the excretions, and from
them escapes into the air. Thorough ven-
tilation and cleanliness may do much to
to obviate all the i'll effects of infection. In
many cases they are sufficient. But some
times complete ventilation is impossible.
Sometimes there are irremovable sources
of infection. The greatest care and atten-
tion cannot always secure perfect cleanli-
ness. In such cases there is no resort but
to dsnfectants to insure that degree of pur-
ity in the air which is absolutely essential
to health. A sick room should be continu-
ally disinfected, whatever the nature of the
disease which afilicts the person confined
there, not only for his sake, but for the sake
of those who are obliged in their ministra-
tions to his wants, to breathe the same viii
ated atmosphere. Many severe cases of ill
ness could undoubtedly be prevented by
such precautions.
Having, in this brief way, shown that
dsinfectants are sometimes indispensable
in hygienic point of view, to commune
ties and families, proceed to explain, will
equal brevity, their mode of action, and tC
describe those which are most valuable ant
easily obtained indicating, at the SAINT
time, the best method of employing them.
There are several forms of noxious mat
ter contained in impure air:-1. Gases, sucl
as sulphuretted and phosphuretted hydro
gen, marsh gas, ammonia, alone or in com
bination, and the unknown material o
or particles of organic matter, which, under
favorable circumstances, undergo putreiac-
tion, and become resolved into gases. g.
Germs of microscopic animals and plants
capable of development when the condi-
tions of their life and growth are met. All
these are causes Of disease, and the object
of disinfectants is to render them innocu-
Gus.
Disinfcctants accomplish the purpose fol
which they are designed in one of three
ways:-l. They destroy the poisonous oi
infectious matter by chemical action. (No
that the ultimate particles of these sub
stances are destroyed; but they are forced
into new combinations, and so the proE er
ties of the old ones are changed. Thu
chlorine converts sulphuretted hydrogen
into sulphur and hydrochloric acid,-oXy
gen converts it into water and sulphuri
acid. Hydrochoric and sulphuric acid
are poisons when concentrated, and in larg
quantity; but, in small quantity, they ar
necessary constituents of our daily food
and of course quite harmless). 2. They alb
sorb gases, and in this way withdraw then
from the air. g. They prevent destructiv
chemical changes in organic bodies, and 81
arrest the formation of poisonous gases; o
they hinder the development of germs.
When the noxious matter has escaped in
to the air, ii can only be attacked with case
or spray; when it is still connected wit
solids or liquids, solids or liquids may b
used to combat it.-GoOd Health.