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195
The apparatus consists of a steel boiler enclosing the disinfecting chamber;
the lower part of the boiler contains water, whose level can be ascertained by a
water guage; the top part of the casing is connected by valves and pipes with the
inner chamber to allow the passage of steam into it. A dead-weight safety valve
permits the steam to blow off when the pressure reaches 20-lbs. A small furnace
is built below part of the boiler, and the products of combustion are conducted
underneath the steel boiler, round the sides of the outer shell of the casing to the
chimney, coming in contact on the way with iron baffle plates, which convey the
heat to the air entering the hot air chamber, whence it is drawn as required into
the interior of the apparatus.
The method of working is as follows:—The fire being lighted, the articles to
be disinfected are placed in the chamber which measures 5-ft. by 5-ft. and is 6-ft.
6-ins. in length; the doors each end are closed and screwed up. As soon as the
steam in the boiler has reached 20-lbs. pressure, an exhauster is set to work causing
a current of hot air to pass into the chamber, raising the temperature of the
articles; after a few minutes the valves are closed and steam is admitted and the
pressure is brought up to 20-lbs., as shown by the guage communicating with the
interior of the chamber, and maintained at that point for 20 or 30 minutes,
according to the character of the articles being treated; then the steam is withdrawn
and the exhauster set in action, and as soon as the pressure falls to zero a
current of hot air is drawn through, displacing any steam which would condense
on the articles when the door is opened. The whole operation taking about an
hour to carry through. But as soon as one batch of articles have been dealt with,
another can be inserted without loss of time or steam.
A wall has been run across the building at right angles to the apparatus,
dividing the room into two compartments into which the ends of the apparatus
protrude. One compartment is reserved for infected articles, the other for those
which have been withdrawn after disinfection, so that there may be no risk of
re-infection.
The total cost of the apparatus has been as follows:—
The Apparatus £253 1 7
Laying foundations and fixing do. 94 10 0
Ventilators, Racks and Fittings 18 6 11
Plumbing work 3 12 3
£369 10 9
The building in which the oven was contained was found not to afford much
room for the disinfectors to work, and it was enlarged at a cost (including
architect's fees) of £131 12s. 8d.