, 1879-07-31
DtSlNFECTANTS AND TREATMENT OF DIS
EASE.
10 the Editor ot The Tribune.

10 the Editor oJ The Tribune
CHICAGO, July 25-I do tlot think I ever
could have hecn doctor, and this .nuy bo QUO
reason TINT l have had 80 much Of tho rou-
fidcnce OF doctora; but, for SONS reason, they
have given me q good many scraps OF useful
information, which havo sometimes applied
tn ways they did not anticipate. It WIS In a
conversation OIL diseases Of tho, blood, In my
own stck room, .thut m eminent physician cayo
mo the idea By which the Eangrene was stopped
III ilic HOSPITALS Of tho Army Of tho Potomac,
III tic summer Of '63; AMI lEiat snrno physician
IN unothrr case. IN our own family. gave me nj
idea which thiuk might be used to dlslnfect
any place OF thing OF fevcr.gcrns.
must be oropagatcd by sccis with vegetable or
germs with animal fifc fn them: It IL IL, why
can It not DO checked BY tic fumcs Of burning
brmatonc1 or course, the question would hngo
n house, q boat, or ship, after it had
been thoroughly imprcenatcd- -saturatcd-
with tho fumes Of burning brlm-
been IN Il. When patient dies Of that foyer,
It would be casy to sot pan OF burning ctar.
coal Into tic roon scnttor birthstone OH It, co,Me
out, close the room tightly, n.u leave It closed
at least an hour, when, It seesns to me,
the handling Of thu coruse, and its surround
tugs, would 10 much less dangerous than it
now is.
Another. thing which never should be forgot
imu,eaiato covering Of aiI discharges from tic
patient With dry ashes ar earth. The surplus
astes of wintcF should be husb4ndcd ss most
precious, und kept dry, to bO used as dcodor-
mouths. Tic as, and c!ndcar Of bituminouy
coal aro simply Invaluable In this use. n,ld, as
promotcr Of cleanliness and health, are worth
their weight in good old silver dollars. II no
good substitute is az hand, dry clay Will answcr
iHHtGNH. h}f Ia unI1n1 fNtt nah and 1HF1p
lnfectnnts.
No vessol should 10 used in a sick room With
It's 6att 6nav ssk @ 81 'ayer Of Dry a1ss 9r earth on
usately . covered by another layer, 20 as 10 pre-
scnt iI tie escape Into the room OF all ollonslye
ynr ~ frnn inest carpet o! counterpaa TINT
Or clay II It Mere stained by black volt; aud, iI
% ease q any laek Of help, should feel tint
served thu cause Of cleanliness BY gradually
converting the most elegant chamber In thu
ln1!i Into On appa5ept asl.htap Or Dric!I. .yarl.
Wien tho atudtcal Inspector caale to tic old
Theatre on Princess Ahn street, iu FrcderIcks-
ourc. when ! Waa uo!pg duty as Surgeon In
ehassso o. ~ despe,ratsly. wounded lncn With
cowards who had run away In battle-tn act as
nurscs, .ho wisc Official was Especially trout.rI
about a c0upla Of cart-loads of dry rubbish
which WHY had PROBABLY ialn ~ tue bali for years,
anl! ordered ny ue1 to clear It away, whtto
there was no sink, aud no vessel but such az /
had bought with my own private nirnns, to pre-
srtye thu alr from pul1uto1,.
Instantly cuuHtrrnlAiiticu that order; and.
by keeping my forces concentrated on nv
chosen limo Of tcfcnse, held ut bay-until succor
cutno in the shnpu Ut Ur. Guilds, Of Phtadelphia,
q rekular-army SaEgeon-that death from neg
lgct lnu starvation which staTed my patients stl
thu face, In that land Of savage foes, where
ladtcs sDat upon and kicked wounded anl dying
men, but smiled aud fawncd upon otllcers who
had pork alld bcans to giya OUT.
After got rid Ut my Surgeunshlp, anil was
transferred, With my worst cases. t0 thu Cathu-
lie Church, next door, medical gentleman
from the Land Of Wooden Nutmtgs ordurcl
nurse to rcm0yc and burn sbIlle clean straw
which had, With much difficulty, procured aud
plucsl under . nsan who was drsadfutiy rlas,-
glrd und suffered peculiarly for wsnt OF bed
but tho man resisted ,nld clung to Ills straw uu.
, I'll should bu heard from, and when l ra,lle,
With q bowl of beel-tea, thrre was atlotller tn-
irnrement of tho rules VI urdor established BY
this new authority. No nlan must h4ye berf-
tea except at regular ncai,ttmes, aud then lo
quantities which Ind i!o reference to hls de-
tnaMus! Al for tho straw, 1t snus. bo taken
away at once. 1t looked badly; and the rnen
must l!o gu the bare flour. us beds were out Of
tie question.
I sat down my beof.tca, and went to the DI.
Vision SUrReDu. aliu GhH uent. orderly tDrfnr