DISINFECTION.

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19891, 21 May 1936, Page 12

DISINFECTI ON.

I PRECAUTIONS AFTER iLLulu. Germs can he killed by heat or by lvartous chemical substances, but some germs pass through a spore stage in ,whlch they are resistant to heat or :chemlcals, says a correspondent. I Tetanus and anthrax are, common :examples of these spore—forming been“. and spores can remain latent 'l'ol‘ long periods and then develop into lactlve organisms. The disinfection of drains and of rooms in which infections diseases have been treated is not very satisfactory. It should he re—membered that the smell of drains does not represent the danger. N 0 disease can be acquired from the smell of a drain or sewer. The germs must. gain entrance to the body by swallowing, or through it cut: and. moreover, most. of the germs that lcau-se smells are harmless, and dis--sease germs cause little. if any, smell compared with those of putretaclion. l The complete disinfection of a room after an infectious illness is compre—hensive and diilicult. hi the llrst place it should be arranged at the beginning or the illness that all unnecessary lhansings, upholstered chairs, carpets. etC., are removed. All metal, glass, and earthenware articles should be boiled for 20 minutes. Boiling is the most effective means at our disposal. ‘and should also he used for all tied linen and other boiiahle materials. Blankets should he soaked in eurhuliv or lysol solution. wadied, and inter lexposed to sunlight [or some. time. [Mattresses and pillous are rlitlirult lu disinfect. Steam Slf‘i'lllSAlllll‘ is Very effective if performvd in Ill‘(‘>:~lll‘~" apparatus. but is in'iimssihlr except in large cities and lrn'gl- hospitals \\'hvro steam sterilisation is not possible ll is ;\\'iscsl. in burn tiwnt :vit‘r‘nsm'erw ill" lunsses such as smi'lL‘l i'n‘u'r ui' llnllilllll. it they do not lmru. lll>lll' ‘li‘i‘lit‘ln by sulphur. nr 1")l‘llltlllll. in ll closed room 'should lie n":r::wi nut. ‘ltut this is not. certainly cft'crtiw. i Fumlqatlon. The floors and. if possible, the. walls of the sick room should be scrubbed with hot water and soft soap with two or three tablespoons 01' l_\sol or sheep dip to each gallon of watch 'l‘lm llr‘ll'Sleif‘l and furniture can lm slini—lnrly treated. I The tlnul treatment is lumigdtiun {\\iih sulphur or formalin vapour.

Thi: is not, very f‘fl'er‘iivn. but. is a useful addition 10 Min abme precautions. ['nrnrfunaieiy it is 1.10 nfien remarried as being all that is necessary. Sulphur fumigation is carried out by placing mo M urea pounds of :sulinhur for mm 1000 I'uhic feet of ,room span: in a tin nr iron dish and {wetting H with nwihyiated >pil'ii. Th“ ili'ay .\hnulcl far safety he sinod on «bricks in a large pan of water. Thv‘ :i'l'al‘kb around windows and doors arn {WI-“M up \\‘th paper and the sulphur riiznitml. Tim mom is kept viosvd for [l’l hoursi Formaiin spraying ran hr USN! ni-ifm-malin Hus rroaivrl by mixing por‘llmilgfllluii‘ ni‘ [munii \\iih livlluvi fO."Imaiin. ' It must be romemherod ihai sulphur lwill badly tarnish metal articles. and lihese should be boiled and removed from ihc ronm hefnro fumigation.