Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-07
REPORT CONFIRMED
COMPLAINT RELATIVE TO DISIN-
FEcTINd SERVICE.
DR.. Woodward's Comment and His Sug-
gestions Regarding Duties Of Of
flcers-Methods Employed.

Tn acting upon the complaint made by
Mrs Charles III. Reiter of 400 NJ street
northwest relative to the manner In winch
the employees of the health department dis
infected her premises for a case of scarlet
fever the particulars of which were given
in The Star yesterday afternoon, DIR. w. c.
Woodward health officer for the District,
has made the following report:
Complaint relative to the disinfection by
the health department Of premises 469 M
street northwest was recently made by the
attending physician. Investigation, regret
to say has shown it to be well founded
The officer of the department who was
charged with the personal oversight OF this
case has been relieved from duty, and
proper action will be taken to discipline the
men who did the work under his direction.
All of them are familiar with the principles
governing matters of this kind. and their
failure to be guided by such principles in
the present instance Is to the health de-
partment fnexplicable. Judging from the
absence of complaints relative to the dis
injecting service, it seems to have been gen.
orally satisfactory
In speaking today of the methods used by
the department In disinfecting rooms in
which persons afflicted with contagious dis
eases have been confined, DR.. Woodward
said:
The health department undertakes the
disinfectiOn Of premises rather than leave
such work to be done by householders. be-
cause it should in this manner develop
corps of trained disinfectors whose work
could, prima facie, be regarded correct,
and which work can, moreover, be tested
as occasion indicates by technical methods
to determine the efficiency of the disin-
lection. The householder is by this method
too, relieved of any danger incident to the
work. The health department has under
its jurisdiction thoroughly equipped dis
injecting station for the disinfection of
10 ,r,l,y .I, oI.,I
treatment
The Method Employed.
The general method employed in the dis
injecting service is follows:
CAS- soon patient suffering from any
of the minor contagious diseases has re-
covered, the premises are visited by the
nedical sanitary inspector Of the depart
ment, who Is connected with the contagious
disease service. At the time of his visit
h. determines what disinfection is neces-
sary, and how it should be done. His re-
port on the case involves statement of
the goods which should be removed to the
disinfecting plant for special treatment.
On the following day Except when Sunday
interveneS) the men employed in the disin-
fecting service visit the premises and I'M
dertake to do a surface dislnfection by
means of formaldehyde, the apartment or
apartments to be disinfected having first
been tightly closed so as to prevent the
escape OF the IOTmalQenyQe gas lnere1rOm.
The formaldehyde gas liberated either by
means of a solution Sprinkled on sheets
hung in the room or by means of formal
dehyde generator which evolves the gas on
the outside of the room and discharges it
through the keyhole through the hole
left by the removal of the door knob. In
order to generate sufficient gas pint of
the 30 per cent ormaldehyde solution is
used for every thousand cubic feet of air
space in the apartment. The apartment is
then required to be kept closed for period
of six or eight hours. At the expiration of
that time the windows are opened so as to
permit the escape of the gas which may re-
main. If any of the contents of the room
have to be taken to the disinfecting station
for further treatment they can then be
removed with comparative safety, as the
Iormaldehyde gas, properly used in the
manner suggested above kills such germs
as may be specifically located. AS an adj
ditlonal preca ution, however, these goods
are wrapped in large sheets before being
taken through the house and over the side
walk to the wagon used for the trarsporta-
ton of these articles. The occupants of the
infected premises are advised as a further
precaution. to wash off all woodwork I'M
papered walls, etc, with the standard disin-
1ecung solution described in the pamphlet
relative to scarlet fever and diphtheria
which is left in the house when the case oc
ours.
Use of Formaldehyde.
The goods taken to the disinfecting
station are commonly treated by means
of formaldehyde introduced into a partial
vacuum, surrounded by a steam Jacket
In this way the penetration of the gas
into the substance of the articles to be
dlsfnfected is insured. If necessary. how
ever oislnfectlon may be done at the
same station by means of superheated
steam Provision is made, moreover for
the use OF d1Sinfecting solutions in large
Vats specially built for the purpose
Goods are delivered a the disinfectine
station IN an entrance Sjd
building and pass thence through the
dlslntecting chamber, coming out dfsin-
dected at the other side. While the goods
are being disinfected the wagon itself
Is thoroughly washed down with a dis
injecting solution. This is done. although
the infection of the wagon is largely
contents have been disinfected by for.
maldehyde before being placed in the
wagon, and are, moreover wrapped in a
aisinfected sheet Sheets used for the
dislnfection go through the disinfecting
chamber each time they are used. and
are, therefore, thoroughly disinfected
me suits worn by the men are treated
IN the same manner each day The work
men employed in the service are reouired
TO wear these suits, which are provided
by the health department. and are of
danger of becoming infected They are
worn by the men only while on duty
Disinfectants Tested.
IL,
made of the efficiency of disinfection. This |
is done by introducing into the apartment |
to be disinfecred or into the disfnfecting |
chamber at the disinfecting station germs |
incapable OF, causing disease but which can
be killed practically only under conditions |
similar to those required for the destruc- |
ton of disease producing organisms When |
the disinfectfon of the room is supposed to |
be completed these germs are removed and |
examined to determine whether thew have
or have not been killed. |
THE results accomplished by the service |
have been generally, as determined by scien- |
tific tests. satisfactory. From the stand /
point of practical results it may be said |
that in no case. SO far as the department |
knows, has a case of any of these diseases |
developed under conditions that would lead |
it to believe that infection had been ac- |
quired through premises or goods once SUBJ |
Jected to the disinfecting process by the |
health department or through men engaged |
in the disinfecting service