Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-03-01
D1s1NFEcTAKTs.
What Kind to Use, and How and When
tn Use Them.

to Use Ihem.
[J.H. Kellogg, NJ D., in Christian Union
The best means to disinfect room
+; which has been occupied by consumptiye
or person suffering from any infectious
disease is to burn sulphur in the room. To
do this, take dish-pan and place a fat
plate in the bottom of it, and on this set a
kettle containing the proper amount of
( sulphur mixture equal quantities of
powdered sulphur and charcoal. Fill the
pan with water so that it will come halt
way up OF the kettle. Then turn alcohol
or benzine on the mixture, ignite and get
out of the room as speedily as possible.
Alcohol is much the best to use, and two
or three ounces will be sufficient for several
pounds of sulphur. Let the room remain
closed for twenty-four hours and then
thoroughly cleansed, the furniture washed
with disintectant solution, the walls newly
calcimined or papered, and the woodwork
covered with fresh paint.
The room should be prepared previously
by having every crack about doors and
windows tightly pasted or stopped up.
The object of using water is that the heat
of the kettle will cause evaporation and
send moisture out into the room; for, the
spores being very tenacious of life, dry sui
phur fumes are not sufficient to kill them
all. In the dry state the product is SIM
ply oxide of sulphur, but when water is
added we have sulphurous acid, which is
powerful enough to kill the spores as well
as the germs.
1t is of the utmost Importance that a
sufficient quantity of the sulphur be used
to make the work effective. | have seen
people attempt to disinfect a large room
with handful of sulphur barely sufficient
to disinfect dry goods box. 1t amounts
to nothing whatever. Ascertain the size
of the room, and burn three bounds of sui
phur for every 1000 cubic fee. of air.
Take, for instance, room which is 12x15
feet floor measurement and ten feet high,
which gives a eubical contents of 1900
cubic feet. This is so nearly 1000 that it
would be best TO take six pounds of sui
phur to disinfect it.
Some people distribute handful of
chloride of lime about, which gives
sanitary smell, but is really of no value.
Many strange notions as to disinfec-
ton prevail, and all sorts Of valueless
recommendations are going the rounds of
the papers For instance [ called upon
patient once and found tub of water
under the bed, and it was explained to me
that this was for the purpose of absorbing
germs. Others will set powdered charcoal
around on trays, or a little chloride OF
lime on saucer. Some people seem to
imagine that the germs are going to hunt
up the disinfectant and destroy themselves.
A strong solution of copperas will kill all
the germs it touches, but it viii not kill
the spores or seeds of the germs.
Half pound of chloride of lime to
gallon of water makes a good disinfectant
to destroy germs in excreta, provided the
chloride of lime is good, but the most OF
it is poor, having lost its disinfectant
properties.
Another excellent disinfectant is corro-
sive sublimate, but it is too dangerous for
common use unless kept under lock and
key. 1t is best used in connection with
permanganate of potash, one drachm of
each to a gallon of water This will make
a reddish or purplish solution, and, if
marked poison and handled with care, will
be dangerous chiefly to germs. This solu-
ton is equal to about one part in 900 of
each: the corrosive subllmate will destroy |
the germs, and the premanganate of potash |
will destroy the odors, as well as furnish |
coloring matter. A solution of corrosive
sublimate alone is colorless, odorless and |
nearly tasteless, which facts greatly in
crease the risk of using it. About one
part in 10000 is sufficient to kill germs,
but to disinfect excreta it is necessary to
use a strong solution, and the bulk of the i
disinfectant should be equal to that of the
For disinfecting the clothing from the
bed and the patient, soak for four hours
either in solution of corrosive sublimate
or the same length of time in 2 per cent.
solution of carbolic acid. The latter is to
be preferred for general purposes, for it will |
not affect the texture, while corrosive sub
Innate will shrink flannel clothing and
make it harsh. If the disease be diph-
liberia, scarlet fever or the like, every
article of clothing or upholstery which
will not wash must be burned. and every
book and paper must be burned.
A solution of corrosive sublimate may
be used to disinfect room by washing the
walls and floor in it, but the permanganate
of potash must be left out from this as
well as from the solution for disinfecting
for it will stain. To set any of
these things in room does no good; dis
infectant must be distributed to be avail |
able,