ENTOMOLOGY

SANITARY ENTOMOLOOYcesses to avoid the greater part of the damage. Nuttall (1918) hasgiven a very exhaustive study of the methods of steam sterilization,especially with reference to autoclaves, so we will content ourselves withmerely citing the most approved fonnulae.a. Live or current steam fumigation was proposed by Stammers, whodevised the Serbian barrel. Hunter (1918) has given a rather fulldescription of several of the dominant types. Exposure to live steam20 minutes in any kind of chamber is sufficient if the clothes are looseand pennit circulation of the steam. Care lJ1ust be taken not to overload.The first method described below utilizes the laundry wash wheel andwas devised by Pierce, Hutchison and l\:[oscowitz. It is probably thequickest method yet proposed. The three other methods were describedby Hunter.1. The live steam sterilization in the wash wheel has been describedin the discussion of the laundry process, and only requires fifteen minutes.The clothes must not be packed any tighter than for a normal washingload. They must not be tumbled except once in five minutes to removewater of condensation. When taken out of the wheel they should beshaken well before hanging up to dry.!to Stammers' barrel disinfection, called the Serbian barrel, is apracticable field disinfector available often where no other sterilizationcan be carried out. It consists of an old wine barrel with five or six roundholes in the bottom, placed on a circular boiler of cast iron or galvanizediron. The space between the boiler and the barrel is filled with a narrowsausage ring filled with sand to prevent escape of the steam except throughthe barrel. A fire is built in a pit beneath the boiler. Cross bars areplaced in the bottom of the barrel to keep the clothes from the holes.When the steam is escaping too hot for the hand, the time required fordelousing is one hour. The barrel is covered with a heavy wooden lid.S. A galvanized iron bin with water in bottom and a grid to keepthe clothes from the water, placed over a fire, will serve for a smallquantity of garments on the same principle as the barrel. An ordinarygarbage can as used in the army will serve.4. In Egypt and S~bia, trains were fitted out and connected bysteam pipes from the engine so that steam could be released in the carsthrough perforated tubes. The steam has cxit through cracks aboutthe doors, and reaches within the car a temperature about 105 0 C.(!t!n 0 F.). The clothing is placed in bags or on shelves and may almostfill the car. Sterilization lasts one hour.h. Enclosed steam has been more commonly used and has likewisebeen the cause of most of the trouble. It may be applied either at no~