Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-12-23

nONau from IDN DOOBh tCuYbfhl, Us ~ !
accumulates in some quantity before i !
can lie removed. The floors Of reading !
rooms aud waiting rooms are sprinkied
at least once day. Dinisfectaut Is
used in the cleaning water, and OF
course, in all basins ana closets con
stantly, also for the handwriting OF
the assistants.
Miss IL. T.. james OF the Osterhout
Free Library, reports: I'VE disintect
honks ourselves with sulphur \ large
piece is psf OF late OF tin, set on
frs, the hook ia placed upright mud
open near it, and both are covered by
n tight box for day or twn. Tho sui
phur, of course, is consumed, but the
perfume remains. ="
MIR. James Balm, Jr., of the Toronto
Public Library, where now the health
officers destroy all hooks found in
houses reported infected, says; Have
| the whole question OF disinfeGtion under
consideration.
| What diseases are considered conta.
gious in your city?
Tbirteen do not answer this question.
! Many Of the others only answer par
| TALLY, giving brief list aud adding
Exc" This will account for tho small
numbers attached to such diseases as
cholera, yellow fever, &c. Twenty eight
mention scarlet fever, IS tlirhtheria, y
small pox, II measles, II typhoid fever,
. typhus fever, 3 membraneous Group,
3 srarlatin5, 8 cholera. chicken poX,
. whoonug cough, ! eacn glandsrs,
yellow fnrer. erysipelas, Itch, pneu,
monia, rntheln, mumns, influenza. 0ne
says "all zymutic Diseases. The Eng.
lish "infectiuus disease modification
act, 1889" under which The English
libraries work, specifies a lone list Of
diseases, incluuing all ferers. 4 circu
lar from the Rootle Free Public Library
gives list of fevers by name.
Have you any medical opinions to
quite?
G. V. Chaplin, NJ. D., Superintendent
of Health, Providence, r. J., writes TO
Mr.. Foster as follows "in reply to
your inquiry in regard to the Public
Library and infectious discusses, would
say that | have never known in my own
experience, diseases 10 he transmitted
BY means Of library books. Nsverths-
less there is no question that such ia
possible and is quite likely 10 occur, if
no precautions are taken. Certainly no
books sobuld be issued to family in
which there is a case uf contagious dis.
ease, and none should he received from
such a family until disinferted. How
to dsinfect is problem which has not
been satisfactorily solved. At present
dry beat ia the only hGent that we
can employ, and this often with the
greatest care Injuries the books, il the
disinfection be thorough. Disinsec
tion by this agent can only bB prop
erly accomplished in an oven with a
thermometer attached. aud ought to be
done by the sanitary authority
Miss II, P. James says: "''rhe physi-
clans thought it good plan to be on
the safe sid9, but | do not remember
! that any of them felt there was much
, danger OF contagion from the books.
: Mr.. q. Evans, Public Library. In.
/, , dianapolis. Ind, says: physicians
,, generally hold different opinion from
! librarians, but have never known one
, who could specify any particular case
, in support of his belief, either from
! books or from practical experience. "
7 Miss a. L. Hayward, Public Library
, Cambridge, Mass, says "physiciant
! have told US that scarlet fever 10 giver
! by the PARTICLES of skin dropping from
. convalescent patients, and that tberu
= fore there was most danger of book
l. giving tnl5 ulHeaSc -
Mr.. J, N. Larned, BulfaIo Library
a writes "a few months ago our ruls il
q this matter was called in question, ant
a l procured the opinions Of dozen u
a the leading physicians of the city oil
a the subject Most OF thcm sustained
our action (stopping circulation ant
a destruction of books returned), hu
;. they differed quite widely in the /
n several estimates OF the danger to b
"a apprehended. Some thought disinfec
n tion sufficient; but those who evidont
n had studied tina matter most CAREFUL
!; found the burning of tho exposed book
Il none too serious precaution. We hay
no arrangement with the health authori
II ties for having cases of contagious dis
eases reported to us. | think we ougb
Ia TO have ii. and We probably shall "
DR.. g. h. Wire, librarian of tn
ia medical department of the NeWberr
IA Library, says: "These diseas ss arc no
al contagious al all periods of their exist
ID ence, and in their worst stages there
no reatling done by patients or attend
or ants. or course if you really 90 int
A. extremes us do the ARCHAEOLOGICAL.
NJ there would be no chance for apl on
an to live; germs would be all.pnwerft
ar and everywhere. But the human rae
IN has survived thousands of years hefnr
8. dipease germs we're thought of and sti
re survives, despite tie germ theursts. IS
Dr. j.. III. Steiner, Enoch Pratt Ere
ut Library, Baltimore, says; "Ths who
1e subject of disinfeClinn is treated
no length and in worry practical way, b
a. writers in the Transactions Of til
y american Public Health Association
:. to whose paners | would refer for fu
I'M Their information.
10. The. following is autobiography I
rs tho subject so far as contained in I'm.
on lish and American library publication
On ] have not been able IN Ghlain acce
ne TO the transactions of the Library A
ye eociation of the Unitud Kingdom lat
be than the sixth meeting.
a Library journal, l,23.lI. Drief di
be cussou al New York conference.
~ 4, 25s-2G2. DIR. Poulea puper.
is Z, 23i. Extract from report Of Gil
il cago Public Library. During the r
no cent soyere srourgs {" u no ca
ify ni transp isaion OF the disease was trac,
,es aised that il had oucurred''
so s. 336.7. by @. A. Gutter.
pr II, 1874. Report OF the state Boa
IN, of Health Of Iowa that no case Of co
for veyance of contagious disease by secon
on hand school hooks bad been found.
ip- H. 1867. Persons imagine iiseas
re- Of which they read.
10, 1876. Description Of oyen al
for process of disinfection by means
nd carhoic acid used at Sheffield, Eng.
ch l6, so. A number Of medical puint
Library Chronicle, s, "a. Methods
al nd ~