The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1891-05-07
WHAT DISINFECTION Is
PEOPLE GENERALLY 90 NOT uh
oeRsTANp THE PROCESS.

Deoderants and Dlsfnfsetasts Are csa-
noniy oenfassd-Fssts About Do Called
Harmless observation-disclosures Ralss
for the sIek Recon-
There Il O common error In the pub
lie mind which confounds the idea Of
odOrs with that Of disinfection," said
Mr.. Cooper McGinn, chief clerk Of the
department Of public health. "When-
ever the question Of disinfection arises
deodorants and disinfectsnts should be
removed as far Is possible from one an
other in consideration. Disinfection h
one thing and deodoriEing another.
II Is all very well TO supply an Odor
that is agreeable in connection with the
use Of an agent which accomplishes its
purposes a. q 'germicide,' but the idea
that substituting an odor Of carbolic
acid, or might say altar Of roses, for
any one Of the indefinabls odorsOr putre-
faction results in the publication Of the
atmosphere upon which the two are
borne is entirely fallsciOus
People do not think Of using oil Of
peppermint, oil Of sassafras or any one
Of the numerous agents whose pungency
acts acutsl5 upon the membranes Of the
nose, but they take IL for granted that
the carbolic or pine tar Odors accomplish
something different. They do not.
THE agents employed In disinfection
which accomplish results are generally
injurious, and are 10 be handled with
care. Whenever person tells you that
he has disinfectant which IL absolute
~ harmless, then set It down that he IL
telling you the truth In every respect II
il cannot harm the human in any way
then IL certainly won't do any damage
20 the .micro-Organisns' II Is intended 10
destroy. Ifyou can give II 10 the chill
dren TO play with, then the best thing 10
do with 1t Is to put 1t in the sewer and
look for something that Is dangerous 70
the bacteria and which you can. under
proper instructions and with IN intelli-
gence supposed TO be superior 10 that Of
the infinitesinal enemy yOu are combat
ing, use TO destroy him.
ABOUT DIsISFECTANTs.
THE unquestiOned authority In the
United States on this subject Is Dr..
George NJ. Sterubsrg. and the informa-
ton evolved from his research, taken In
connection with that Of his colleagues Of
the American Public Health association,
forms the text book which Is followed by
every health officer. health organization
and intelligent practitioner In the land
He has told ms Of the misapprshen- /
-. III h. t,nau
which rpsult frOin such misapprehensiOn
and misuse Of the term disinfectant
lie cites as an example the use Of sui
phate of irOn, q salt which has been eK-
tensiYeiy used with the idea that It Il Q |
valuable disinfectant, and he informs rs
that this salt In saturated solution does |
not destroy the vitality Of disease germs
or the infective power Of matsrial con-
tanning them, while, nevertheless, 10 is |
very valuable rs an antiseptic, and Its |
low price makes Il one Of the most val |
liable agents for the arrest OF putre- |
factive decomposition.
THE health officer has Issued q cir /
cular giving information in extsasO 20
garding the methods to be employed In
disinfection Of various kinds, and this
circular may be obtained upon applica-
ton; but TO give As briefly n possible
an idea of what. in the information Of
the present day. 1t is proper to use IN
order to secure results in the work Of
disinfectiOn, cannot do better than
condense from Stenberg sbout - TO-
lows:
I'm the sick room, i'm case of diph-
liberia, scarlet fever. etc, the sputs OF
the sick can, and should be, destroyed
by fire. Excreta may be disinfected
with n solution Of chloride OF lime.
made by dissolving the chloride in the
proportion Of six ounces to gallon Of
water.
DIsISFECTIsg TIRE sICK ROOM.
CLOTHES can be thoroughly disin-
fected by boiling for half m hour In
water. II the heated water IL not at
hand, the clothes should be immersed In
a solution containing one dram to the
gallon Of corrosive sublimate (ne7curic
or one ounce to q gallon Of
pure carbolic acid. care being taken not
TO place the mercuris chloride solution
in metal vessels. hut rather In q wooden
tub or earthen crock. This method does
not apply 10 clothing or bidding which
cannot be washed: this can only BE-
properly disinfected by icing subjected
to superheated steam in n suitable steam
apparatus
The general plan employed In disin-
lection Of the atmosphere, together with
he surrUundingsin the room. Is by means
II sulphurous acid gas. sscnred by the
,Ombustion Of sulphur. The sulphur, In
IOwder or small fragments, Is placed IN
! shallow irun pan tsbout three pounds
or each 1000 cnbic feet Of air spaced
which. after being mOistrned with
Ilcohol, is ignited, all measures for thOs-
ugh closing OF every aperture in the
Dom having been previously taken In
rider to guard against fire. Il h advised |
hat the pan should be set upon a coupls
4 bricks in tub partly filed with water.
AFTER the room has been thoroughly
umigated the walls should then be
Washed with disinfecting solution, such
g that referred TO for use In immersing
lothPs previously 10 their being boiled
here are any number Of other agents
in the field OF disinfection, but
his is about all I should consider u
TO refer 10.
Prevention, IL should be remembsred,
J better than cure, and CLEANLINESS Il
ertainly better than godliness In ward
ig Oh disease that comes By means Of
"-Washingtou Post
breath - Fresh Als.
Chicago Child q few years hsnOst-