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The chamber having been charged the door is then closed, the valve admitting
steam into the chamber is opened, and the valve to the outlet pipe is also opened;
the door is then clamped up, and, as this occupies about five minutes, the
incoming steam in the meantime will have driven all the air out of the chamber
through the outlet pipe.
The valve to the outlet pipe is then closed and the steam allowed to accumulate
under pressure in the chamber until a pressure of 20 lbs. to the square inch is
reached and recorded on the automatic register. This will occupy about ten
minutes, and when a pressure of 20 lbs. is recorded the outlet valve is opened,
and the excess steam allowed to flow out, and the pressure to drop to zero.
This intermittence is of extreme importance, as it is only after the intermittence
that the utmost penetration into bulky articles is obtained.
The valve to the outlet pipe is then closed and the steam again allowed to
accumulate under pressure in the chamber until a pressure of 20 lbs. is again
reached and recorded on the automatic register. At this point the centre of
beds, pillows, &c., will be penetrated and raised to the boiling temperature
212° F. This second accumulation will occupy about ten minutes, and when
the 20 lbs. pressure has been again recorded the outlet valve is opened, the
excess steam allowed to flow out, and the pressure again allow to drop to zero.
The process of steam disinfection is now complete, but the chamber will still
be full of steam.
In order to prevent condensation to get rid of the inconvenient steam, the
steam inlet valve is turned off, and the steam exhaust valve is turned on, and
at the same time the hot air inlet valve is also turned on and a current of hot
air allowed to flow through the chamber for five minutes when the doors may
be opened in comparative comfort.
In tabular form the following is briefly the process:—
Current steam = 5 minutes. Close outlet.
High-pressure steam to 20 lbs. = 10 minutes. Exhaust.
High-pressure steam to 20 lbs. = 10 minutes. Exhaust.
Current hot air = 5 minutes.
DISINFECTANT FOR MIDWIVES' HANDS.
Half an ounce of corrosive sublimate to be dissolved in one fluid ounce of
hydrochloric acid, and five grains of aniline blue to be dissolved in one ounce
of wood naphtha, the two mixed together and made up to twelve ounces by the
addition of water. To be kept in a twelve-ounce blue fluted poison bottle,
labelled poison, with a patent poison cork, and to be carefully guarded and
placed above the reach of children. A twelfth part to be mixed with every
quart of water to make the disinfectant. It should not be further diluted, and
must be kept and poured only into wooden, earthenware, or glass vessels, and
not be brought into contact with metals.