DISINFECTING & HARNESS.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2661, 26 May 1908, Page 3

DISINFECTING & HARNESS.

Horses are subject to diseases that are not only highly contagious to other animals, bnt to man also. Any article that animals so afflicted come into contact with are infected, and as a measure of precaution should be disinfected as soon as it can be done. A glandtred horse, for instance, will infect halters, bits, harness, etc, and commnuicate the disease through the subsequent use of these articles. To disinfect a harness, it should be thoroughly soused in boiling water in which have been dissolved two or grammes (not grains) of bichloride of mercury to the quart of boiling water. Then let the leather dry for two or three days. Then unbuckle and pat the parts into a box that is airtight. This can be accomplished by pasting paper over the crack of the lid. Place iu the box a sulphur candle (procurable at any drug store), light it, close, and let it burn so that the fumes of the sulphur will permeate every particle of the harness. The fumes will discolour the metal work, of coarse. One day will do for this. Take out harness and give it another bath of boiling water, to which is added 10 grammes of phenic acid to 1 quart of water. After air-drying, it is then completely disinfected, and can be oiled, rebuckled, the bright work polished, and it is ready for service. It may be well to add that the bichloride of mercury is deadly poison and should be handled wi£b care. See that there are no cuts or open wounds of the skin when handling the work, or stir the leather about with a stick.—• Harness Gazette*'