With a view to its possible adoption by famine workers, Dr. W. W. Peter, u.D., gave a practical demonstration of the "Ural" disinfector, invented by Mr. M. i. Trutneff, at No. 4 Quinsan Gardens on Monday afternoon.
In spite of the heat of the room in which Mr. Trutueff's fumigator and hot waler generator for baths were actually at work, a large number of interested onlookers were present, including representatives of famine relief organizations in Honan, Chihli and Shantung, and members of the China Medical Missionary Association, Originally extensively used by the Imperial Russian army for disinfecting verminous clothing, Mr. Trutneff's patent disinfector gave excellent practical results in the field. Were identical plant employed by the famine workers for cleansing the clothing of destitute Chinese, there would be less danger of typhus among famine victims.
The disinfecting apparatus is quite easily constructed, providing there is a small foundry available for making two castings. The disinfector consists of a square iron stove, with a zig-zag iron-plate smoke chimney, and vaporizing pipe with water filling funnel. These are fixed above the stove, the upper cover of which is of cast iron of pyramidal shape with recesses, which serve to radiate an equable temperature of 150 C., about 300 Fahr. Superheated steam is generated, which prevents any possibility of the clothes being scorched by the high temperature of the disinfecting chamber.
Mr. Trutneff's patent arrangement for supplying hot water for baths may be described as a super-geyser. The "family" size, which can be installed in any private house. and which may be obtained for $400, supplies enough hot water for 12 to 15 baths per hour. The larger model, used by the Russian army, supplies water for 50 to 79 bathers every hour. The installation also is constructed to give heat to one or more dressing rooms.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.