The Glenwood post., 1912-01-27
DIs1NFECTIoN OF HOUSES


tagious disease can scarcely be over
estimated, yet there are many homes In
the small towns and rural districts
where this precaution is never taken
yer, diphtheria and measles. Sucn
houses at once become carriers of dis
ease and, as such, should be regarded as
menace to the community Landlords,
as rule. manifest no anxiety whatever
along this line and appear to be entire
ly obivious to the possible danger to
renters.
In the present day of sanitation, with
simplifed methods of fumigation at our
disposal, there is little excuse for sueh
neglect. The cost of the operation has
been reduced to minimum, and any
one with an average amount of intelli-
gence can do the work. OF the several
agents which might be employed for
this purpose, formaldehyde gas is un-
questionably the most desirable. it
produces no harmful effects upon col
ored draperies and metallic substances,
as in the case with sulphur, and at the
same time, if properly used, it is one
of the most efficient germicides known.
By this means at a cost not to exceed
fifty cents per thousand cubic feet, the
average sized room can be made al
solutcly safe, SO far as the spread of
contagion is concerned.
While there are a number of ways of
| generating formaldehyde gas, the use
formalin and potassium permanganate
has been adopted by many boards o
health, not only because of the high
efficiency of this method, but also be
cause of its simplicity. The Minnesota
State Board of Health recommends for
each one thousand cubic feet of space:
Potassium permanganate Crystals,
| IL ounces; formalin (40 per cent solu-
tion formaldehyde) II ounces; water 0
| ounces.
| Directions for use:
Prepare the room to be disinfectcl
by sealing all cracks, windows, ventil-
tors, etc, and all the doors but the one
for exit, with wet newspaper strips;
open all blankets, drawers, etc; sepa-
rate and open all books, clothing, etc,
in the room. Have wet strips of paper
in readiness to seal the last door when
the disinfection has been started ard
the operator has left the room. The
windows should be left unlatched 50
that, where possible, they may be opeL'
ed from the outside when the disin
fection is completed.
Use metal pail with Tapped (not
receptacle, holding not less than four
teen Q4) quarts, in which to mix the
above ingredients Place the recepta-
cle on bricks standing in a pan of wa
ter, but the receptacle should not touch
the water.
Place the IL ounces of potassium per
| manganate in the receptacle, iistribut
ing it evenly over the bottom.
Mix the formalin III oz.) and the
water (9oz.) :, and pour this mixture
over the potassium permanganate in
the receptacle.
This done, the operator should leave
the room as quickly as possible, sealing
the door behind him with the wet
strips of paper prepared for this pur-
pose.
The directions above apply to the dis
infection of a room containing 1000
more than 1000 cubic feet of space,
use one of the above disinfectng out
| fits for each 1000 cubic feet or frac-
tion thereof. Do not attempt to use n
double charge in container of even
double capacity.
In disinfecting a whole house, begin
with the most distant room and having
| mixed the potassium permanganate,
| formalin and water in the proper re
ceptacle, close the door of the room
and seal it at once as directed above.
frOceeu IN lnlS way III tine ulSln1ecllOn
of all the rooms. Leave the seals un.
broken on the windows and doors for
six hours, after which the rooms should
| be opened and aired thoroughly. The
temperatureof the room at the time OF
| disinfection should not be below 20
degrees F.
1nth 9TH
er combustible material should be per
mitted in the room near the fire, and no
flame should be permitted in the room
near the disinfecting outfit
WALTER G. SACKETT,
Bactcriologist, Colorado Agricultural
Experiment Station.