The evening times., 1900-03-03
A DISINFECTING CRUISER
The Sanator Fitted Out to Purify
Other Vessels.
4 Novel Craft Under the Direction of
the United states Bureau of Ma
rine Hospital service-spouts Sui
phur Fumes and Other Gases
to Destroy Germs of Infection.

PHILADELPHIA. March S.-The Sana-
tator is the latest addition to the Navy. 1t
is fitted for offence and defence, but in
stead of dynamite or rapid-fire guns or
ether blood spilling devices it carries ap-
paratus for generating disinfecting gases.
War against the yellow fever, the bubon-
ic plague. smallpox. and kindred disease
germs is its purpose. The most novel, ell
cient, and altogether interesting vessel
ever built for the United States Bureau OF
Marine Hospital Service is now lying In
completely finished form at the dock OF the
Kensington Engine Works, Beach and Vi
emma Streets. at which institution 1t was
constructed for Uncle Sam. 1t will be a
part of the mission of this unique ship to
run alongside infected vessels and. through
hose and pipes. project into all their COM
partments sulphur fumes and other gases
in such volumes as TO deal certain death to
all the germs that lurk therein.
Another function of the Sanator will be
the disinfection of persons and clothing as
wen as ships In this latter process in
fected persons will be brought on board
the Sanator by side ladder near the for
ward end of the deck house. and enter the
disrobing quarters. there being one oi
these on each side. The clothing VIII be
lowered through matches to compartment
of the hold, where it will be sorted and
disinfected. in the latter process going
through steam cylinders. The persons be-
ing treated meanwhile will pass from the
disrobing room to the bath room, and
thence to the dressing rooms TO secure
their renovated clothing. and altogether
they will have occasion to remember so
long as they live the vigorous processes by
which they become immune from con-
tagicn.
The efficiency of a floating disinfecting
plant. which was nothing like this one in
completeness. was demonstrated at Mon
tauk Point. in the fail of 1898, when the
Protector also built at the Kensington
Engine Works. cared for the soldiers who
came from Cuba at the close of the war
with Spain. Working in connection with
the returning troops and transports, the
P-atector was potent in preventing the
spread of contagious diseases.
The Protector and the Sanator are the
only vessels OF the kind owned by the GOV
ernment and no other nation has adopted
the plan.
The Sanator is a great improvement oveI
the first boat. which was not provided
with power of her own. but had TO be
towed from place to place. She is low
mower steam vessel capable of making
maximum speed of eight knots an hour
Her dimensions are: Length. 16l feet
o,-ar al foot hpan1 and dpDth Q
| hold L feet inches.
The huh is Of wood and sheathed Wit
copper to a mean draft of eight and hal
! feet. Wood instead of steel was adopted
| because the latter material would corrod'
| from the bichloride of mercury, one OF th'
disinfectants used in considerable quantity
The suDerstructure or deckhouse 1.
! about ninety feet long and twenty-fou
| feet wide. and is devoted TO robing, dis
robing. and bathrooms officers quarters
mess hall and galley. In the hull are i've
/ cross bulkheads. forming between them tn
! infected compartment. into which VIII b'
/ taken all baggage. clothing. and othe
/ things to be disinfected. PrOtruding int
/ the room are the forward ends OF tW'
/ cylindrical disinfecting chambers, in whicl
! the effects of the troops are subjected to al
! intense heat. with doors. cars, and track
| for their expeditions handling
! In this apartment is also vat contain
/ ing bichloride of mercury for the INNER
| sion OF certain articles requiring specia
! treatment Immediately forward, in an
! other section. are two large furnaces TO
generating sulphur fumes, an exhauste
! and an engine.
with pipes and hose running from th'
| furnaces. the sulnhurous gases may b
| forced into any quarter-even TO the hold
of other vessels needing attention.
The space aft of the infected compart
meut is the largest. In its forward en'
/ are two steam chambers for the formal
/ dehyde gas and the ammonia generators
! Still aft OF these are two electric storag
| batteries for light. believed to be the FRS
| ever installed in a vessel for the Unite'
! States. The boat is also provided with ;
! dynamo Powerful steam pumps and ca
pacious water tanks are conveniently 10
Gated to insure protection from fire to Ih'
| boat. her crew and the troops undergoing
! disinfection.
| 4 novel feature of the marine architec
| ture of this queer vessel is the fact tha
! her pilot house is in the extreme after enc
| of the deck house instead of the forward
/ end. in order TO allow ample working space
| for two derricks and the sulphur hose anC
pipes on the upper deck. Aboard the boa
are two iS-foot dinsies and vapor launch
The Sanator will soon go into commits
sion.