The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1879-09-04
METHODS OF DIsISFEcTION.
Important Rules Laid Down by the National
Beard Of Health.

this subject. This knowledge is far
from being precise, and the board has
taken measures 10 have the effects Of
disinfectants, and more particularly Of
gaseous or volatile disiniectants, upon
the lower organisms, both moist and
dry, carefully inyestiga ted. This inves-
tigation will require much time, but the
results will, it is hoped, repay the cost:
l.. II is prudent TO u that the
essential cause Of yellow fever is what
may for conciEeness be called a germ;
that is, something which is capable Of
growth and propagation outside the living
human body. That this germ lourishes
especially in decaying organic matter or
filth, and that disinfection must have
reference both to the germ and to that
in or on which il fourishes.
2. Distinction when used in a place
not infected, for the purpose Of render
ing filth or foul soils, waters, &C., inca.
pable OF propagating disease germs, is q
poor substitute for cleanliness, and is
mainly useful to make the process OF
cleaning odorless and harmless. The
best disinfectants for this purpose are
sulphate OF iron, carbolic acid, fresh
quick lime, fresh charcoal powder, chic.
ride OF zinc, chloride OF aluminium, per
maganate Of potash.
8. The two great difficulties in de-
stroying the vitality Of the germ of vel
low fever are first to bring the disinfect-
ing agent into actual contact with the
germ, and second to avoid ipjuring or
destroying other things which should be
preserved.
4. When the germ ofyellow tever Ia
dry or partially dried no gaseous dis.
infectant can be relied on to destroy IT,
1t must either be moistened or subject
to a dry heat Of not less than $50 de-
grees TO obtain security.
8. In destroying infected clothing,
bedding or movable articles, moUe them
as lille as possible while dry. Before
disturbing them have them thoroughly
moistened either with a chemical disin-
fecting solution or with boiling water in
order to prevent the diffusion of direct
germs in the air in the form Of dust.
6. The best method Of disinfeciing
rooms, buildings, ships, ETC., is still
doubtful, owing to the difficulty of de-
stroying the vitality of dried germs.
The board proposes to have this cub
ject carefully investigated, and in the
meantime advises thorough scrubbing
and moist cleansing, TO be followed by
the fumes Of burning sulphur at the
rate of eighteen ounces per LOCO cubic
feet of space to be disinfected. The
sulphur should be broken into small
pieces-burned over vessels containing
water or sand, which vessels should be
distributed over the space to be disin'
fected at the rate of at least one to each
one hundred square feet.
No patented compound known to the
board is superior as a disinfectant to the
agents above mentioned, and non so
cheap. Some Of these patent disinfec
tants are good deodorants, but the re-
moval of an unpleasant odor is no proof
that true disinfection has been accom-
plished.
In districts where yellow fever pre-
vailed last year the following precau-
tionary measures should be taken:
1. Textile fabrics of every description
which we're exposed to yellow fever in.
lection during the year 1878, and which
have remained packed or boxed in q
closed place since such exposure, should
not be opened or unrolled, but should
either be burned or placed in boiling
water for half an hour or more, or in
suitable heated ovens, or disinfected &C.
cording to the nature and value Of the
individual article CT articles.
q. Every house or room in which
cases of yellow fever occurred in the
year 1873, and since that time have re-
NAMED ~unoccupied, should not be open
ed for occupation until they have been
thoroughly cleansed and disinfected by
persons acclimated to yellow fever.
3. Every privy vault, underground
water c%istern, dry well or closed cellar
connected with a house in which yellow
fever existed last year, and which may
not have been opened since that date,
should not be reopened; but, if possible,
should be covered with several feet Of
earth.
4, Every suspicious case should be
at once isolated, and every precaution
taken to prevent infection by providing
attendants who have had the disease,
and thorough disinfection OF all dis
charges from the sick. If the disease
proves to be yellow fever oil articles Of
clothing and bedding used about the
sick should be burned, the house should
be vacated and every room tightly closed
and fumigated with burning sulphur.
Walking Across the Continent.
Peter Carlyon, a stout looking Eng
lishman. with his wife. passed through