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factives, ought not to be included with the others, as they seem
only temporarily to prevent the chemical action of air on matter
with which they are brought into contact, or suspend the specific
power of infective material to induce disease. As regards
deodorants, or oxydizing agents, they act in an entirely different
manner to anti-putrefactives, and are useful in converting offensive
(decomposing) organic matter into innocuous compounds
but there is no evidence to show that they exercise any disinfecting
action on the germs or particulate matter by which
zymotic diseases are spread. Dry heat applied for several hours
to infected bedding and clothes at a temperature of between
220° and 240° Fahr., with the addition of fumes of burning
sulphur (sulphurous acid), has proved very effectual in this
district, as nearly 15,000 articles have been disinfected in the
apparatus belonging to the Board without an instance of infection
having occurred from the articles returned to the owners.
Next to heat, the best disinfectant is sulphurous acid, which may
be obtained by burning sulphur in the infected rooms, l1b. being
used for each 1,000 cubic feet of air. The chimney should be
blocked up, the windows and doors of the room made air-tight
before the sulphur is lighted, and the room be kept closed for
at least four hours. Chlorine and nitrous acid gas are probably
as effectual, but are not so easily and safely used ; also Burnett's
fluid (chloride of zinc); sporokton, which evolves sulphurous acid
gas; and euchlorine, which is, however, an expensive mode of
obtaining chlorine, are destructive to the lower forms of life, as
well as strong solutions of carbolic acid and like agents. Other
chemical compounds are frequently used besides carbolic acid and
similar tar products for disinfecting drains; also salts of iron,
bichromate of potash, sanitas powder, &c. When carbolic acid
is used, 1 part of the soluble acid should be added to 50 parts of
hot water. This and other similar tar products are very useful
in stopping putrefaction for a time, and are therefore suitable for
use in drains, but are of very little avail as aerial disinfectants in
a sick room; indeed the same may be said of all except the