_Brushes._—After using, all brushes should be thoroughly washed, boiled, and dried, wrapped in waxed papers, and sterilized in the autoclave. In the absence of the autoclave, boil thirty minutes. _Basins, pitchers, and douche pans_ are sterilized by wrapping in strong muslin bags and put to boil for forty-five minutes in the basin boiler or wash boiler. They will not remain sterile longer than one week, even when kept in a clean place and well wrapped. Bedpans should be washed in a strong solution of soap and water, rinsed every morning and boiled for thirty minutes. =Sterilization of Rubber Goods.—= _Tracheal Catheters._—Drop in a solution of bichloride 1:5000 and leave for twenty minutes. Lift with sterile forceps into a basin of warm sterile water and leave for ten minutes, or until used. _Vorhees Bags._—Boil twenty minutes. The bags and catheters may be given a longer life by keeping them in a 25 per cent solution of glycerine and water when not in use. Kerosene vapor is also preservative. _Rubber Catheter._—Boil twenty minutes. _Hot Water Bags, Ice Caps, Rubber Bed Rings._—Soak in 10 per cent lysol solution for two hours, wash with warm water, and dry thoroughly. The inside of the ice caps can be dusted with powder. Never leave rubber gloves in a damp place or lying in a solution. It stretches them and weakens the rubber. To sterilize, they must be washed in a strong solution of soap and water, dried, and paired. Then they are wrapped in a heavy cloth covering and put in the autoclave for twenty minutes. _Wet Process for Rubber Gloves._—Wrap in gauze or cloth and boil for thirty minutes. Lift with sterile forceps and place in lysol solution 1 per cent until used. They are easily drawn on by filling them with the solution as the hand goes in. _The autoclave_ is not always available, but an Arnold or Rochester sterilizer is readily portable, and takes the place of the hospital machine. =Fumigation of rooms= is sometimes necessary. Remove all curtains, bed linen, and other washable fabrics from the room. Open the drawers of dressers, doors of closets, and loosen up and separate everything left so the air can get to it. Close the windows and seal the crevices with cotton and make the room as air-tight as possible. Place a large pan containing six ounces of potassium permanganate crystals in the center of the room. Pour over this twelve ounces of formalin, close and seal the outside doors of the room and leave for twelve hours. If the case has been a very septic one, it is always a good plan to wash the walls of the room before using again. The insides of the drawers and the bed should be thoroughly washed with water and green soap. A formaldehyde lamp is also quite satisfactory if obtainable. CHAPTER XXIV DIETS AND FORMULÆ