Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-05-30
DESTRUCTION,
As Discussed by the Massachusetts,
state Board OF Health-What is
Most Effective and Cheapest
Timely suggestions frOm
Experienced Sources.


experiments made under the direction of the
International cholera commission have shown
that the ordinary methods of disinfection are
inefficient. and, In practice, they have often
failed to arrest the spread of infectious dis
eases. As it is impossible to experiment di-
rectly upon the unknown low organisms,
which are thought to be the means of trans
porting the various infectious diseases, the
effects OF chlorine and sulphurous acid were
studied upon known living organisms; the
probabilities being thought to be in favor of
the theory that complete disinfection should
destroy at least all known forms OF life, al
though it may be true that the tenacity of
life of the infectiye matter of various dis
eases differs, Just as the degree of cold neces-
sary to put stop to yellow-fever is much
less than that required to arrest the spread
of cholera. Chlorine and sulphur
fumes, In sufficient quantity, were found
to be efficient In killing insects,
fungi, bacteria and Infusoria; the obiec-
ton to chlorine in houses being that
more difficult, and that it destroys
metals, textile fabrics and colors. The burn
ing of ten grams of sulphur for each cubic
meter of air space, tightly closed, was found
not to kill bacteria, infusoria, or all insects;
twenty grams, however, were proved to be
sufficient for that purpose. One volume of
water, when saturated at ffty-nlne degrees
7
sulphurous acid-enough to kill all the low
organisms found In putrld urine. The follow
ing articles were found unlpJured after sew
eral hours exposure to an atmosphere in
which twenty grams or sulphur had been
burned to every cubic meter OF alr-space: A
clock of steel and brass, rusty and clean nails,
gold and silver money, military epaulet, va
rious colored silk articles, colored rug, cali
co, down pillows, a gilt-tramed looking glass,
books. water IN an uncorked bottle, -four, meat,
salt, bread, apples, cinnamon, vanilla, cigars,
wallpaper, oil paintings, vanished articles,
gas fixtures, water fixtures; highly polished
razor had slightly cloudy appearance on its
upper side, but that was easily rubbed off.
The flour 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
slightly acid taste; the inside portion of the
apples was unchanged, the skin was slightly
sour; the water, after standing, had an acid
reaction, but no decided taste or smell.
Litmus paper placed 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
that soon disappeared. The experiments
seemed to show that clothing, bedding and
other articles may be dlslntected without be-
ing changed chemically or injured; and it
should be added that practically this method
has apparently accomplished perfect disln-
lection as tested in Berlin. If we may Judge
from these results, effective disinfection, by
burning sulphur, requires eighteen ounces to
each space of one thousand cubic feet. The
sulphur should be broken in small pieces,
burned over vessel of water or sand SO as
to avoid danger from FIRE, and, if the room
is large, it should he put IN separate
vessels in different places. The room should
be tightly closed for six hours and then aired !;
it is better that the room should be warm
than cold. Of course, efficiently disinfected
air is, during the process of disinfection, ir-
respirable. Most articles may be dislnfected
in this way, it hung up loosely In the fumi-
gated chamber, although 1t would be an ad-
ditional safeguard to expose anything thick,
like bed-maitiess to prolonged heat at a
temperature of about two hundred and forty
degrees Fahrenheit; and, indeed, heat must,
with our present knowledge, be considered
the best disinfectant. With this end in view,
local boards of health are advised to procure
furnaces and laundries, as is commonly done
In other countries, to be used tor the sole pur-
pose of dislnfectlng articles which have been
exposed to the infectious diseases, as recon-
mended in the ninth report of the State
board of health, and described By DR.. A.
ID. Johnson IN an exhaustive paper upon
scarlet fever Top. 255l in that report. or
course a much simpler disintechDg furnace
than that described will answer every purpose.
For ordinary use, In disintectlng houses, the
sui phur process is the best. A solution of
chloride of zinc Zone part of Burnett's disin-
fecting fluid to two hundred Of water) very
quickly kills bacteria which have been placed
Ia it, and arrests putrefactlon. Caustic lime
serves equally as well lone to one hundred),
but leaves sediment not always easy to re-
move Carbolic acid in sufficient strength to
be effective Zone to one hundred) is more ex-
pensiVe and of dlsagreeable odor. 1t is need
less to add that "disinfectants'' used in suf-
fcient quantities to destroy bad smells do not
and it is not supposed that they directly in
fluence the so-called germs" of the infec-
tious diseases, unless concentrated to the ex-
tent which has been mentioned. Finally,
fresh, pure air acts as one of the best 'disin-
fectants" by enormously diluting the infec-
tious matter, and, under certain conditions,
including time, must render it inert to all
effect even if not quickly destroying it, as
many think is the case.