CO129-418 - Public Offices & Others - 1914 — Page 455

448

I

the furniture and walls, floors, and other parts

of the house, and by this secures as far as possible freedom from disturbance, loss, or damage of household effects. It reduces to two days at the most the stay in the reception houses or health camp of contacts except those who have been associated with pneumonic cases.

"A method such as this will tend to diminish the surreptitious disposal of infected clothes, which is one of the greatest difficulties encountered by the older system. No assurance will convince the more ignorant people that the clothes will be brought back undamaged after disinfection. In a few instances they have had reason to view the assurance with suspicion. Exceptions are always at these times exaggerated into common occurrences.

"To prevent the escape of plague-infected rats it is advisable to fill the houses abutting on the infected house with the polyoxide before commenc- ing with the infected house. Once the infected

house is filled with the gas, there is no further need of the gas in the adjoining houses, which can be emptied of it at once so that they may be re- occupied. A few hours will suffice for this, which

at the same time is a protective measure for the inmates of these houses. The same apparatus by a

system of pipes will disinfect several adjacent

houses at the same time, a precautionary measure

which it is advisable to employ when plague rats are

found in more than one house of the block. The

underground drains of the house can be disinfected

with