BOOKS AND INFECTION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 418, 29 January 1909, Page 7

BOOKS AND INFECTION.

: •.'■•■ '■;;; ■•-. VIEWS; OF DK. MASON. '- : '■-■'■" '■ ;' In■ reference to his,report (as;alreadyipub-: ■fished) on the -disinfection.-of , , books,;the City. iChief librarian '(Mr. , H. D. Baillie) .has re'ceived the'.following Ut'tet from Dr. MosOtt, 'Chief. Health, Officer *~v ■-. • ■ .-"' . ■: "I'quite, agree with you : that the thorough ■disinfection of; books-is.an. almost impossible itasK 1 do not .agree with the s'uage'stion of. :Mr. Dudley/, librarian - for; the 'Publio Library at Denver, that' contagious: disease is rarely through tho library books. I quito ;agree.: that ,in. all probability' such -,'a disease as' ismallpox is rarely transmitted; beoarise people ■usually\ destroy books: which'.have been, used; ■by patients, suffering from a disease like this; | ; but I firmly, believe'that diseases like scarlet /fever .are undoubtedly .spread by . this-.mearis. 'While. your by-laws; of cburse,' prohibit the Luse -of -bopJcs'.-ijy persons, suffering from an. infectious disease, very, often the books have come into the houso before the ! presence of the disease 'has been ascertained. I think, -instead of the. Health Department issuing a notice, it , would ;be.'a good thing for on& to be , served'by the library'upon/the-users of the library books, .drawing "their attention■ to tho necessity, fot .disinfectißg where books■ have,been used by 'persons suffering' from .an infectious: disease. :I quite agree •\nth:-you" that :i_t is 'unnecessary-' to go ill for wholesale disinfection-; at the same time, when Jt is known that a book,has come : fre-rn a house where : an infectious 'disease is 'present, the boolcor bookS should be sterilised. I take it the. number would not be great, andI consequently: a very inexpensive , apparatus for generating formalin would suffice. If yo.u desiro any help in-, the way oE socUTing tho ■ &*£>• paratus, : l "hvtt sMVe "Dt. T.roj\!»ley or myself would (be only too glad.—<Si»ned), J; M.' fiiison /Chief Health Officer." /,-' (: .•;,'•;, / / : . ■~..■'