The Health bulletin [serial] - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

270 THE HEALTH BULLETIN.sired, two or three pints of water anda small quantity of kerosene oil(about a half teacupful) may bepoured into each can before the cansare replaced. The scum of oil floatingon the liquid has a tendency to preventmuch of the odor, although there isvery little real damage done by odors.The use of chemicals, disinfectants,germicides, and all that expensivehigh if the cans are placed on the floorturers of heavy galvanized iron cansfor use in privies. We have correspondedwith several companies makingsuch cans, and find that standard26 gauge galvanized iron cans, 14inches high by 14 inches in diameter,cost, without lids, about 50 centsapiece in hundred lots. Cans much•larger than 14 by 14 raise the seat tooScavenger wagon with load of privy cans.and more or less vile smelling familyof deodorants is usually just so muchmoney thrown away. In the first place,they rarely ever kill all the germs; inthe second place, if the privy is madefly-tight, there will be little need fordisinfection if such were practicable;and, in the third place, there is practicallyno harm in the odors themselves.Furthermore, such chemicalscost a great deal of money that individuals,as well as cities, might useto miich better advantage for healthpurposes in other ways.This office is frequently in receipt ofrequests for the names of manufac-These cans are emptied into a sewer opening inside thebuilding opposite.of the privy.Furthermore, large cansare more expensive, harder to handle,and not necessary to hold the excretafrom even a large family for a weekNothing lighter can 26 gauge shouldbe used, while 24 gauge will be foundmuch more serviceable and perhapscheaper in the long run. These canscan usually be secured through localhardware dealers, or from the WheelingCorrugating Company, Chattanooga,Tenn., the American Can Company,Atlanta, Ga., or from the NationalEnameling & Stamping Company,Baltimore, Md. We mentionthese three companies as thus far they