[Report 1908] / Medical Officer of Health, Herefordshire Combined District/s (Bromyard R.D.C., Dore R.D.C., Hereford R.D.C., Ledbury R.D.C., Leominster R.D.C., Bromyard U.D.C.).

  • Herefordshire Combined Districts.
Date:
1908
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1908] / Medical Officer of Health, Herefordshire Combined District/s (Bromyard R.D.C., Dore R.D.C., Hereford R.D.C., Ledbury R.D.C., Leominster R.D.C., Bromyard U.D.C.). Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Here, the active agent is formaldehyde gas, which is one of the most efficient germicides known, and which is quite free from corrosive action or disagreeable smell. There are several ways of applying formalin vapour for dis- infection of a room. The two in common use are by means of a spraying machine, and by generating the vapour (formaldehyde) from specially prepared tabloids by means of a suitable lamp. In the former method, appropriate quantities of “ Formalin ” (40 per cent, solution of formaldehyde gas) and water are placed in the tank of a spraying machine. Air is then pumped in so as to force a mixture of air and liquid through the nozzle of the machine from which it issues in a fine, almost invisible spray. This spray is directed against the walls, ceiling, floor, &c., with special attention to corners and crevices. Enough should be applied to render the walls moist, but not actually wet. If tins method be carefully carried out, and the room kept closed for, say, six to twelve hours, any germs on exposed surfaces are almost certainly killed. In capable hands this is probably the most reliable method we have of disinfecting a room, but nevertheless, it is wise to make “ assurance doubly sure ” by subsequently stripping the paper from the walls, white-washing the ceiling, and scrubbing with soap and water all paint and wood-work. The satisfactory disinfection of soft goods such as carpets, curtains, bed and bed-clothes, is a more difficult matter but, if not thoroughly carried out, renders the disinfection of the room of no avail. Articles of no great intrinsic value may be burned. That is the safest and most effective way of dealing with them. Sheets, pillow-cases, curtains and such like are best disinfected by boiling for half an hour at least. There is no need to add any disinfectant to the water; simple boiling is quite sufficient. The real difficulty is in dealing with pillows, bedding and mat- tresses which cannot be treated in this manner, and are too costly to be destroyed. Moreover, they are the articles which are most likely to harbour infection and to transmit it to the next person using them.