Remarks on deodorization and disinfection, and on Dr. Sir William Burnett's disinfecting fluid, the solution of the chloride of zinc / by T. Stratton.

  • Stratton, T. (Thomas), 1816-1886.
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Remarks on deodorization and disinfection, and on Dr. Sir William Burnett's disinfecting fluid, the solution of the chloride of zinc / by T. Stratton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    water) is applied by sponging to the persons of typhus- patients, it removes the peculiar odour emitted by them. Except where cold sponging is indicated, the fluid ought to be used of the temperature of the patient. 7. In hospital-wards full of typhus and dysentery- cases, the air becomes exceedingly impure, and in cold weather, and at night, ventilation often cannot be had recourse to. In such cases the disagreeable odour is removed by waving flannel clolhs wet with the diluted fluid (1 to 40) two or three times a day for a few mi- nutes at a time, and by sprinkling some fluid on the floor. Where there is dysentery, a small quantity of fluid may be poured into the utensils over night. The odour emitted from the surface of the body of a dysen- tery pauentis much lessened by sponging him with tepid diluted fluid (1 to 60). I found that having the fluid used in the way of waving and sprinkling once a day, when the same process was repeated next morning, there was no disagreeable odour, or almost none, perceptible ; this, too, was in badly ventilated wards crowded with fever and dysentery patients. I found that the propor- tion of one ounce of the strong fluid (making 41 ounces of the diluted fluid) was sufficient for every ten persons : the price of the fluid, (as at present advertised,) is three shillings sterling a quart, or about a penny an ounce ; so that, to give the sick the daily benefit of having the fluid used, it would cost an hospital tenpence a day for a hundred sick, and eight shillings and fourpence for a thousand sick. The expense of any article for hospital use on the large scale is an important consideration, and besides the great superiority of the Burnett fluid in other respects, it is much cheaper than chloride of lime, and other agents used for similar purposes, as these are usu- ally sold, and considering the comparative quantities of them that are requisite. As for the Ledoyen fluid, (not to speak at present of the radical error its proposer made in taking such a poisonous substance as lead for a base,) I believe it is advertised for sale at sixpence sterling for a bottle containing about 18 ounces, while the same sum will purchase about 246 ounces of the diluted Burnett fluid.