The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-05-29
Distinction.

f&F
lie the following useful information q,
the above subject:
Recent experiments made under tn,
direction of the international Choler,
commission have shown that the ordi
nary methods Of dislnfection are inef.
Iclent, and In practice they have Otter
lalied 10 arrest the spread of infection:
diseases.
As 1t Is impossible to experiment di
rectiy upon the unknown low organ.
lsms, which are thought 10 be the
means OF transporting the various in
iectlous diseases, the effects of chlorine
anu sulphurous acid were studied upon
known living organisms: the probabil-
ltleS beng thought to he IN favor of
Tie theory that complete disinfection
should destroy at least all known forms
81 lie, although it may be true that the
tenaclty OF lie OF the infective matter
OF various diseases differs. just as the
degree Of cold necessary to put a stop
70 yellow fever IS much less than that
required to arrest the spread of
cholera.
Chlorine and sulphur fumes. in suf-
lclent quantity, were found to bc eff
cient In killing insects, fungi. bacteria.
and lnfusoria: the objections to
chlorine In houses being that it is more
oStly, that Its use is more difficult.
and that it destroys metals. textile
fabrics, and colors.
The burning of ten grammes of sui
phur for each cubic meter of air space.
tightly closed, was found not to kill
bacteria, lnfusoria, or all insects:
twenty 9rammes, however, were proved
to be sufficient for that purpose. One
volume of water, when saturated at so
Fab, absorbs thirty seven volumes of
~sllphur0us acid-enough to kill all the
low organisms found in putrid urine.
The following articles were found
uninjured after several hours exposure
10 an atmosphere in which twenty
gfammes OF sulphur bad been burned
to every cubic meter Of air space. A
clock Of steel ana brass, rusty and
clean nails, gold and silver money, a
military epaulet, various colored silk
articles, Il colored RUG. calico, down
pillows. a gilt framed looking-glass.
books, water in an uncOrked bottle.
flour, meat, salt, bread, apples, CHINA
mon, vanilla, cigars, wall paper, oil
paintings, vanished articles, gas fix
lures, water fixtures; a highly polished
lazor had a slightly cloudy appearance
on its upper SIDE, but that was easily
rubbed off. The -four and meat were
cooked and eaten, and the cigars were
smoked, without any abnormal taste
or smell being observed; in the bread
not all of the observers noticed a
-1Jx.h4l- 90 ,,4o +Io ;j
OF the apples were unchanged, the skin
was slightly sour; the water, after
standing, had al acid reaction, but no
decided taste or smell. Litmus paper
between the leaves Of books and
under the carpet was turned bright
red. Many of the articles exposed had
decided smell of sulphur at first, but
soon disappeared.
The experiments seemed to show that
clothing, bedding, and other articles
nav be disinfected without being
chemically or injured; aud it
be added that practically this
has apparently accomplished
perfect disinfection, as tested in Berlin.
If we may judge from these results,
Elective disinfection, by burning sui
ICuul1CS CISuLCCu JULIUS W cdCU
pace of one thousand cubic feet. The
should be broken in small
'ieces, burned over a vessel of water
r sand, so as to avoid danger from
re, and, if the Don is large, it should
e put in separate vessels in different 8
laces. The room should be tightly t
for SIX hours and then aired it t
better that the room should be warm a
han cold. Of course, efficiently disin- f
air is, during the process Of 0
irrespiraDle. Most articles c
lay be disinfected in this way, if hung
D loosely in the fumigated chamber, C
though it would be an additional \
to expose anything thick, a
a bed mattress, to prolonged heat s
"A temperature of about 24O' Fab, !
id, indeed, heat must, with our Il
resent knowledge, be considered the p
EST disinfectant. With this end in W
ew. local boards of health are advised a
procure furnaces and laundries, as is o
,mmoniy done in other countries, to n
: used for the sole purpose of disin- n
citing articles which AVE beer ex- a.
,sed 20 the infectious diseases, as re Q
.mmended in the Ninth Annual Re ii
,rt of the State Board of Health, and st
by DR.. A. II. Johnson, in an tt
.haustive paper on scarlet fever opp. 5
) ct sea-, in that report. OF course,
much simpler disinfecting furnace :
that described will answer every =
irpose. For ordinary use, in disin- -
citing houses, the sulphur process is 81
G best. =.
A solution of chloride OF zinc Zone -
IT of Burnett's disinfecting fluid to ~
hundred Of watcr) very quickly ~
lls hacteria which have been nlaced y.