Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1897-07-16

Or. Bllings' Discovery # an Effective
Ds.,r.ectart.


Charles Lamb, in one Of the quaintest
ard most charming Of mis- essays, de-
clalcs that ho .,leIs soNe books when
they arc soilea AID deg cared; that a
COPY Cl Fielding ~ i.rdccn plaases
him better when it -aTs evidences Of
having Le-n read and reread-inay te
by some lonely seamsress in her garrett
than in ali the immaculate vhitoness
ana cleanliness Of "a new edition.
The sentiment is a pretty one, and
other writers, notably the present poet
laureate, have confessed to sharing it
with Ella. But it must be a good deal
harder nowadays to feel it than it was
in the days ef Lamb. Science has made
tremendous strides since then and with
each stride has crushed some sentiment
or belief dear to our ancestors Science
takes the well thumbed volume, forgets
all the pathos in it and finds instead
germs. And most people would confess
that sentiment comes a little dear when
it carries typhoid or diphtheria along
with it,
Such, at any rate, is the opinion Of
the authorities Of the New York Public
library. When the reservoir is removed
from Bryant park and in its place is a
splendid library, there will be a free
lending department. as well as the read
ing rooms and reference library. Every
inhabitant of New York Of good charac-
ter will be able to borrow books free Of
charge, and the Public library authori
ties have been for some time considering
how the dangers inevitably resulting
from circulating volumes in every part
Of the city may be avoided. Preventive
measures are naturally out Of the ques-
ton. 1t would be as impossible to dis
cover whether every volume lent would
be used by persons free from diseases as
20 prophesy Where such diseases were
about to break out. The measures taken
must be corrective, and the question
resolved itself into an inquiry as to
whether a satisfactory disinfectant could
be found.
For some time Dr. John S. Billings,
director Of the library, has been ex-
perimenting in order to discover per-
feet disinfectant. Last year Mr.. Hor-
ton, under Dr. Billings direction, con-
Quoted series Of experiments in the
latter's laboratory in Philadelphia. a
number of old patent Office reports were
inoculated with choice assortment Of
bacteria, and in a short time the books
were full of germs Of measles, scarlet
fever smallpox and other diseases.
Trials were then made of various
germ destroying substances, ana as a
result Of tie experiments Dr. Billings
says that Ae has a perfect disinfectant
in the gas folMaidehyde. The volume IS
placed IL glass CT metal box with a sau-
ccIlul Of a solution Of formalin in wa
ter, and left for an hour or two. at the
end OF that time the vapor has pene-
ratcd into every particle Of the book
and net a live germ can be found.
The process will be used in the circu-
latius department Of the New York
public library, and the patronsof the in
stitution may ease their minds Of any
fear that the volumes they borrow may
bring The dreaded germs Of diphtberia
or typhoid foyer Ito their houses.
BiUliophilcs, too, will be glad to
know that the formalin will destroy the
crotCn bug, responsible for the ruia Of
so many ane bindings in this country.
The traditional bookworm is now
rarity in America, bat the croton bug
has taken It's place. and the collector Of
l. Gascos on Grolicrs has in Dr. Bill
ugs' discovery "A preventive Of the raw
ages that the inroct's passion for NOR
rocco and ca.iskin causes New York
Tribune.