Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-08-11
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS REPORT
ON IMPORTANT GERMAN
DISCOVERY.
NEW ENEMY OF TUBERCULOSIS
AND OTHER GERM DISEASES
New Process: Of Disinfeetins Surround
inss Where Contagious and Infectious
Diseases Have Existed = German
Health Authorities Regard Discovery
as of Great Value.
Especial correspondence.1

washington, Aug. ia new enemy
of tuberculosis has been discovered, ac-
cording to Consul Thomas H. Norton,
OF Chemnitz, Germany. He says that
in the warfare which is being waged
so persistently in Germany against
ing given to paints and washes, which
may be applied to walls and the like
and which possess In a greater Ar less
degree the power of destroying germ
life.
Especially does Mr.. Norton call at
tention to a new pigment called vitra-
lin, which is described in detail in a
recent report of the German health Of
flee. 1t is highly lustrous paint which
can be applied to surfaces with the
same ease as ordinary paints, with a
basis of white lead or zinc white. It's
chief value is for disinfecting and it is
prepared and sold more specifically for
use in rooms where it is desired to
combat disease germs. In this respect.
it is said to be far in advance of all
other ordinary substances applied to
walls, containing lime or lead COM
pounds.
Consul Norton says the German
with the new substance for the pur-
pose of finding out what it would ac-
oomplish. 1t was found that when in
contact with vitralin coating, the
bacilli OF tuberculosis, as found in
saliva, were completely destroyed in
three days. Diphtheria bacilN require
five hours, typhoid bacdlli eight hours
and certain others six to thirteen hours.
On the other hand, the vitralin seemed
to have no effect on the bacilH of
anthrax.
Direct sunlight makes the killing OF
the germs proceed more quickly. The
disnifectant power remains for con-
siderable time in the coating Of paint.
tho after a year 1t was found to be
weaker. The German investigator came
to the conclusion that the specific dis
infectant property of vitralin results
from the oxidation of the linseed oil
which forms an important constituent
OF this paint The imperial health Of
fee regards the discovery of the sub
stance as of great value.
Some Of the increased revenues
which Messrs. Aldrich, Payne and 9TH
ers estimated wound be brought in by
the new tariff law, are likely to slip
thru Uncle Sans fingers.
Reports received at the treasury de-
partment show that a vast quantity Of
goods on which the rates Of duty have
been increased were passed thru
New York and other customs ports be-
fore the new law went into effect.
European wines constituted a large
percentage Of these fmportations. On
French. German, italian and nearly all
other European wines and spirits, the
Ding1ey rates, less 25 per cent will re-
main in effect until Nov. 1, and posi-
bly, until April 80, 1910, in the case of
Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, by
virtue Of the commercial agreements in
force with those countries.
After these agreements terminate,
! the rates of the new law, which are
much higher, will go into effect. The
Dingley rate is So a dozen, and the con-
cession under the commercial agree
ments of 25 per cent brings it down to
So, or a saving of 80 cents a bottle
from the new rates.
Discussing the situation, an official
of the treasury department said yes
terday he thought that before Nov. !
enough French champagne would he
imported to supply the American de-
mand for several years.
The senate finance committee esti-
mated that the government could ex-
pect an increase Of 100000 annually
from the increased rates imposed upon
champagne as a luxury But where this
half million extra is to come from ii
the big wine merchants import two OF
three years supply at existing low
rates is what customs officials find II
| hard to understand
ct will be interestingn the treas.