War to the Germs.

Evening Post, Volume LIV, Issue 21, 24 July 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

War to the Germs.

That disease is often conveyed by means of books in a public lending library seems beyond doubt. For some time Dr John S. Billings, director of the New York Library, has been experimenting in order to discover a perfect disinfectant. Last year Mr. Horton, under Dr Billings's direction, conducted a series of experiments in the lattsr's laboratory in Philadelphia. A number of old Patent Office reports were inoculated with a choice assortment of bacteria, and in a short time the books were full of germs of measles, scarlet fever, small-pox, and other diseases. Trials were then made of various germ-destroying substances, and as a result of the experiments Dr. Billings says that he has a perfect disinfectant in the gas formaldehyde. 'P.he volume is placed in a glass or metal box with a saucerful of a solution of formalin in water and left for an hour or two. At the end of that time the vapour has penetrated into every particle of the book, and not a live germ can be found. It is stated that formalin will also destroy the Croton bug, responsible for the ruin of so many fine bindings. Tbe traditional book worm is now a rarity in America, but the Croton bug has taken it place.

Russian Sprat for Chinese Mackerel. — The Tsar of Ruaisia has Bent eight tons of presents to the Emperor of China. This doubtless means that the Tsar is about to get another piece of Cliina.