Instructions and observations concerning the use of the chlorides of soda and lime / by A.G. Labarraque ; translated by Jacob Porter.

  • Labarraque, A. G. (Antoine Germain), 1777-1850. De l'emploi des chlorures d'oxide de sodium et de chaux. English
Date:
1829
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Instructions and observations concerning the use of the chlorides of soda and lime / by A.G. Labarraque ; translated by Jacob Porter. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    During the whole month of July, the thermometer was con- stantly as high as 34 degrees, and the corpses, a few hours after death, diffused an odor so infectious that, while the mass was celebrated for the repose of their souls, the priests and bystanders forgot, the former the duties of their ministry, the latter their grief, to bemoan themselves and stop their nostrils. M. Gensoul, surgeon in chief to the Hotel Dieu, fearing with reason, that emanations so offensive might cause an epidemic sickness, proposed to the mayor that a glass of your solution should be turned on the sheet by the police officer, when the coffin was opened to ascertain the presence of the body. The mayor directed that the proposal of the young surgeon should be immediately adopted, and the success has been most satis- factory, so that the Journal du Commerce of Lyons, in re- porting the fact, expresses the desire that a practice so simple and useful should be generally adopted. While this pamphlet was in the press, a new fact came un- der my observation, which I think proper to record in this place. M. Paulin, superintendent of the Saint Martin Canal, ap- plied tome, August 11, 1825, requesting, in behalf of M. Berard, vice-president of the Council of Health, some chlo- ride of lime with the directions for using it, in order to disin- fect a portion of the Amelot sewer, where several laborers had fallen down in a state of asphyxia the day before. I of- fered my assistance for the intended operation. The sca- vengers had been directed to cleanse a part of the sewer about twelve or fourteen feet in length, which must be com- pleted the next morning by eight o'clock. The slime and other impurities to be removed were four feet and a half in thickness. I caused to be placed not far from the sewer a tray con- taining about sixty liters of water and a pound of the chloride of lime well dissolved in this liquid. A pailful] of this liquor
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