Royal Army Medical Corps training, 1908 / War Office.

Date:
1908
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Royal Army Medical Corps training, 1908 / War Office. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    with ordinary water, in which case the boiling temperature will be 212° F. at sea level. From the diagram it will be seen that the central chambers for infected articles, A, is surrounded by a jacket, B, containing the water which is heated by the furnace K. The steam given off is directed either to the chainber or to the chimney by a valve, G and in the former case is distributed in the disinfecting chamber by a plate, C, before passing off into the chimney by a pipe D. As the water evaporates, an equivalent supply is introduced automat- ically from a cistern, I, with a ball-valve arrangement supplied by extend or cover at least half-an-hour, the steam is turned off from the chamber and allowed to escape into the furnace flue, and by means of-a coil of tubes, E, immersed in the saline solution or water, air, which enters at the valve, F, is neated and passing through the chamber dries the articles which have been wetted by contact with the steam. The proper drying of the article by exposure to this heated and dry air in the chamber for a quarter of an hour constitutes a most important part of the act of disinfec- tion in this kind of apparatus, as, if the articles are taken out while still wet and-damp from the steam, they will shrink and be damaged. When disinfection by heat is not possible, mattresses and pillows should be taken to pieces, the covers washed and their contents disinfected by exposure to formalin vapour as described later on, and then exposed to sun and air. In tropical countries where the sun is powerful, considerable good by surface disinfec- tion can be secured to clothing and other articles by exposing them -to the sun and wind. Furs, boots, shoes and gloves are spoilt by steam. If they need disinfection, this will be best secured by exposing them to the Maes of formaldehyde by one or other of the methods to be des- cribed. Rooms which have been occupied by infected person can only be disinfected after the people have left it. The aim or object is the _ disinfection of all exposed surfaces, as on them germsare liable to be lodged and resting. The disinfection of the air in infected rooms is effected sufficiently by opening .windows and admitting fresh air and sunlight. There are four chief means of disinfecting room surfaces. (a) Dry rubbing the walls, etc., by uneans of bread or dough. This sterilizes them by mechanically removing microbes and germs of disease. The bread is cut into pieces suitable for grasping in the hand, the cut surface being applied to the ceiling, walls, &c. The crumbs must afterwards be carefully collected and burnt in the room. (b) Washing or scrubbing with soap and water or some ordinary disinfectant solution. This is an excellent way for deal- ing with floors, forms, tables and other wooden pieces of furniture or washable surfaces. For walls and ceilings it is somewhat laborious and best carried out by spraying. (c) Spraying the a