The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-27
GENERAL RULES
FOR DlsINFECFION
INTEREST IN DIR. PECK'S WORK
is GROWING.
Good Crowds Hear His Lectures
Many Ask Observation-Disclosures
of Distinction Urged and Instruc-
tons By State Health Board Given.


Many Ask Observation-Disclosures
of Disinfection Urged and mstruc-
tons BY State Health Board Given.
That public interest in the tuber-
culosis exhibit and the lectures by
Dr. Peck is increasing is evidenced by
the large crowds that were out at the
city hall yesterday afternoon and last
night to hear the doctor The hall
was crowded last night by an atten-
tive audience 1t was an inquisitive
one as we'll. The doctor was piled
with questions in regard to proper
modes of caring for a consumptive
and of preventing the disease In
the afternoon, too, the school chill
dren took deep interest. The hall
was packed to the doors and the little
folks were almost as inquisitive as
their seniors.
DR.. Peck's lecture last night was
along the same lines as on the pre-
eeding night 1t embraced a descrip-
ton of the disease. it's extent. its or
igin and told how the germs are
spread, its cure and prevention. The
doctor laid special emphasis on the
necessity for disinfection. He said
every room in house should be dis
infected at least four times a year.
The following pointers on disinfec-
ton as laid down by the state board
OF health, were given by Dr.. Peck:
Rules for Disinfecting.
Thorough disinfection of the room
with papered walls, carpeted floors,
upholstered furniture or containing
bedding or clothing can only be ac-
complished by fumigation.
Formaldehyde has been recognized
for several years as the most efficient
agent for disinfecting closed rooms.
Numerous methods of generating
the gas have been proposed. but the
following has been approved by the
State Health Department as being the
most efficient with the smallest
amount of skill and expensive ap-
paratus.
The room must be closed and all
cracks and crevices thoroughly
sealed by thoroughly wetting strips
of newspaper two inches wide and
FASTING over them.
Bedding and clothing should be
spread over chairs to permit the
ready penetration of the gas.
AS the formaldehyde gas is
promptly liberated by virtue of being
very volotile, it is essential that all
preparations be made in advance
The room being closed and open
ings sealed with the exception of one
exit, place in the center of the room
an ordinary galvanized iron milk or
water bucket
This should be placed on an oil
cloth, mat or sheet of heavy paper to
avoid the possible overflow of liquid
damaging the carpet or floor.
The permanganate (six and three
quarter ounces for each one thous-
and cubic feet of room space) should
be placed in the bottom of the bucket
and the formaldehyde 40 per cent So
luton tone pint for each one thous-
and cubic feet of room spaee) should
then be poured upon it.
The permanganate must go in first
Within a few seconds to one min
ute, depending upon the size of the
crystals and the temperature of the
room, a vigorous reaction takes place.
producing sufficient heat TO liberate
a large volume of the formaldehyde
gas and water vapor
This boiling continues from four to
six minutes. and gradually reeedes
until nothing remains except the
nearly dry residue
1t is essential that all preparations
he made in advance, and that the OPP
orator leave the room at once on the
combination of the two chemicals. The
door or window of exit should be
closed at once. sealed and left closed
six hours
FOrmaldehyde disinfection must be
thorough to be of any value
Not less than one pint of formal
dehyde can be used for one thous-
and cubic feet OF room space
Ii the room is larger than ten feet
square more than one pint of formal
,lehyde must be used.
Care must be observed not to put
too much of the formaldehyde solu-
ton in the bucket or it may boil over
and be wasted. besides causing posi-
BILE damage
The following is the amount of the
chemicals and size of containers for
various size rooms:
Room 10x12xS, container, S
quarts, formaldehyde, / pint, per
manganate. ~ ounces.
Room 12x12x1O, container IL
quarts. formaldehyde l u pints, per-
manganate 10 ounces.
Room 14X13x or 5,quartsFman7 II
Room, lix15x10 or 15X15x9, con-
tainer l 4 quarts, formaldehyde
pints. permanganate l3 " ounces.
The room should be as warm as
possible and should contain moisture.
Don't place furniture of clothing
near the bucket. as liquid may splat-
| ter and cause damage.
Formaldehyde. when used as di-
rected above is much preferable to
the sulphur candles now in common
use. 1t is more efficient and does not
injure metal fabrics, while if the sui
phur is used in sufficient strength to
| be effective it will do both