View report page

106
such processes under circumstances where expense
is at present avoided.
The expenditure for "disinfectants" amounted to
close on £110, including £45 for sulphur and carbon
bisulphide, and £65 (about) for soap, and disinfecting
powders and fluids. Hitherto there has been no
contract for these materials. It seems probable that a
saving might be effected by purchase under contract,
and there would be the very great advantage of disclosure
of composition of the materials bought and
periodical analysis.
The fumigation of rooms is still effected with sulphur
di-oxide gas, evolved from the combustion of cake
sulphur or (occasionally) of carbon bisulphide. Many
profess to suspect the efficiency of such process, but no
definite proof of inefficiency has ever been adduced.
Spraying with corrosive sublimate solution, as is done
in Paris, would involve a heavy expenditure, because an
increased staff of men would be required, besides trucks
for carriage of apparatus, &c. It would appear,
moreover, as if a special cleansing of a room
would be necessary after such process. Within the
last few mouths, formic aldehyde gas has been brought
forward as a fumigator in substitution for sulphur
di-oxide. This gas can be obtained either by heating
under pressure, an aqueous solution of calcium
chloride saturated with formic aldehyde, or by volatilisation
of "paraform" in a special lamp, constructed
to regulate the amount of air admitted. The former