Letters upon cholera morbus : with observations upon contagion, quarantine, and disinfecting fumigations / by William Fergusson.

  • Fergusson, William, Sir, 1808-1877.
Date:
1832
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Letters upon cholera morbus : with observations upon contagion, quarantine, and disinfecting fumigations / by William Fergusson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

    18/46 (page 16)
    dwellings of the poor they are positively mischievous, because they cannot be used vi^ithout shutting out the wholesome atmos- pheric air, and substituting for it a factitious gas, which for aught we know, or can know of the nature of the contagious vapour, whether acid, alkaline, or anything else, may actually be adding to its deleterious principle instead of neutralising it: but in thus striking away a prop from the confidence of the poor, I thank God I can furnish them with other preservatives and disinfectants, which I take it upon me to say, they will find as simple and practicable as they are infallible. For the first, the liberal use of cold water and observance of free ventilation, with slaked lime to wash the walls, and quick lime when they can get it, to purify their dung heaps and necessaries, are among the best; but when actually infected, then heat is the only purificator yet known of an infected dwelling. Let boiling water be plenti- fully used to every part of the house and article of furniture to which it can be made applicable. Let portable iron stoves, filled with ignited charcoal only, be placed in the apartment closely shut, and the heat kept up for a few hours to any bafe degree of not less than 120<^ Farenheit, and let foul infected beds and mattresses be placed in a baker's oven heated to the same,* and my life for it no infection can after that possibly adhere to houses, clothes, or furniture. The living fountain of infection from the patient himself, constantly giving out the fresh material, cannot cf course be so closed, but whether he lives or dies, if the above be observed, he will, leave no infection behind him.f It is now time to bring this tedious letter to a close; I shall be happy, through the same channel, to give any information, or answer any inquiries that may be authenticated by the signature of the writer; but anonymous writing of any kind, I shall not * The oven on that account need not lose character with bread-eaters, for according to the old adage, Omne vitium per ignem excoquitur. t Light too, more especially when assisted by a current of atmospheric air, is a true and sure disinfectant, but it is not so applicable as heat in the common contagions, from requiring an exposure of the infected substances for days to- gether, or even a longer period, before it can be made eifeclive.