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plaints of damage being done to articles of clothing, bedding,
&c., but since the reduction no complaint has been received
and I have no evidence that the disinfection is less efficient.
47. It has been impossible hitherto to disinfect by wet
steam any goods consisting wholly or partly of leather, furs,
books, &c., without serious damage being done. An apparatus
adapted by Chief Inspector Duck from one used by Dr.
Hopwood at the London Fever Hospital, has been connected
with the vacuum apparatus for disinfecting such articles with
Formaldehyde. It is a specially constructed brass cylinder
into which is placed cotton wool saturated with a 25 per cent.
solution of Formalin and is so arranged that when a vacuum
is obtained in the disinfector by opening a tap connected with
the cylinder, air is admitted which has to pass through the
saturated cotton wool, this becoming highly charged with
Formalin. By this system the most delicate articles and books
can be thoroughly disinfected without the least possible
damage deing done.
48. The steam necessary for working the apparatus is
obtained from the boilers of the Dust Destructor, which are
worked at a pressure of 200 lbs.; this is reduced by a reducing
valve to 60 lbs. for use in the disinfecting station.
The Disinfectors have been covered with a silicate cotton
and steel lagging, thus reducing radiation and condensation to
a minimum. The station is fitted with Electric light.
49. The disinfecting apparatus has been used 1135 times
during the year. Disinfection was performed in 514 cases of
infectious disease, in connection with which there were 60,451
articles. In 16 of these cases there were more articles than
could be disinfected in the apparatus at one time, so that the
apparatus was twice used in those cases, making a total of 530
disinfections.