New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-13
SUNLIGHT KILLS BACILLI.
Electric Light a Feeble Substitute in This
Fight with Germs

All writer's on bacte-iology and sanitation recog-
nize sunlight OF the most potent Of all germ
icides. AS long ago 1877 two English expert
mentors, DoWnes and Blunt. communicated TO the
Royal Society evidence that this agent exercises an
Injurious influence on bacteria and that cultures
thereof could be sterilized Il subjected 10 1t for
sufficient interval. That verdict confirmed
few years later by Koch. who found that the time
required TO kill the bacillus OF tuberculosis varied
from a few minutes TO several hours the difference
being due the thickness Of the layer of material
IN which the microbes were embedded. DR.. Stern
berg. formerly surgeon general OF the United States
army reports an observation OF his own that the
cholera spirillun could not survive exposure OF
hours 70 direct sunlight The popular notion
that bedding used by victims OF scarlet fever. dph
iberia and smallpox be made innocuous by be-
ing placed out Of doors in the sunshine has some
foundation but some experts think that more rapid
action is desirable.
Where heat can be applied without injurins the
article It Will give satisfactory results. but low
temperature, while ii may temporarily check fur
Their development and multiplication, is not ef-
fective gerTaicde. Animation IS suspended. not
terminated. Hence there is uncertainty about the
consequence II fatal chemicals employed, II
the use OF heat Is inpracucable and if sunlight
excluded. The uncertainty is the more serious. toe
because the latent vitality OF disease germ often
SHOWS great endurance. The life of the bacillus Of
oiphtheEia is somewhere between three weeks and
thfee months. and in instances that OF the mi
cIones OF tuberculosis has extended over several
Ears another fact which gives rise to uaeas:ness
- liS' nearly all disease producing bacteria multi
Ply very rapidly when tie conditions are favorable
wien me temperature food supply and other feat
80 % IIe environment are right. It is necessary
tir,at :. SINGLE germ TO the lungs or
d. WHICH, they P s5ca:e by bi i.h e46g the
sternberg says that electric light. if powerful ex-
eris a Gernicidal influence. Filsen utilized r.
p;HclP!e IN MS system Of phototherapv He and
an arc lamp. have provided a light of great 80
tensity and have adjusted the apparatus xer- cloa
10 The patient. From the feeble iIlirni7a ~
g nceScent lamps little benefit could he 49,. ~
out there y remote chance that rnieht do eo1c
good. D!nused daylight IS poor substitute "a, "a
Iect sunlight, but II IL not without effect T1nt,1
thorough test was made il would no: he ga fe -
haps. 20 declare that the Edison larnps IN IT, -
way. which are more numerous at the stations IT,,
baciln. 10 destroy
Two other facts which have ? bearing IN III
question or safety deserve mention IN forai1,
countries and especially in England there 80
Deen number OF underground roads In onerafioo
LOT years Among them is the METROPOLITAN syetana
n London, long operated by steam but rscen,it
equipped for electric traction There has hear cor
paint about the steam and sitting fumes fro,,
Loconotlves, but there docs not seem to have 49,
sAy anxiety about Infection through careless ooi.
J..s ar stations II VIII not do 10 draw hastv I'm
auslohe from the circumstance. but II Is in r,ess
ave alone' no matter how offensive 10 SIGHT ;e
,,stoally harmless. The germs Of diphtherie snS
,aoeculosls can get into il only through coIghina
~ Ahey proceed from the throat and l1nze anad
csoce. ' '4eii piaces OF resi-