Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 50.djvu/367

Rh The bundles into which the clothing, etc., are rolled are securely fastened before being tossed into the receiving car, and remain there undisturbed, each numbered, to effect rapid identification.

The rapidity and thoroughness of this disinfection depend on the vacuum-system process.

The air is drawn from the disinfecting chamber, and as the vacuum increases the air is withdrawn from the interstices of the fabrics to be disinfected.

Advantage is now taken of the fact that a rise in the temperature takes place rapidly in a vacuum. To effect the rise in temperature, to attain the necessary degree of heat, live, dry, superheated steam is admitted to the interior of the disinfecting chamber. This steam contains in reality little more water than the air that was withdrawn, being in a finely divided state at the high temperature at which it is introduced into the vacuum. The



temperature is easily maintained, there being no air to convey away the heat; and the steam penetrates to every interstice of clothing or fabric.

After a proper temperature has been maintained for a sufficient length of time, cool air is admitted to the chamber and exhausted alternately, until the temperature is sufficiently lowered, when the clothing, etc., is removed and distributed.

The car is discharged at the opposite end of the chamber from which it entered. The huge steel chest of the disinfecting