[Illustration: FIG. 160.--Pasteurizing apparatus, an arrangement by
which milk is conveniently heated to destroy disease germs.]
When disease germs are within the body, the problem is far from
simple, because chemicals which would effectively destroy the germs
would be fatal to life itself. But when germs are outside the body, as
in water or milk, or on clothing, dishes, or furniture, they can be
easily killed. One of the best methods of destroying germs is to
subject them to intense heat. Contaminated water is made safe by
boiling for a few minutes, because the strong heat destroys the
disease-producing germs. Scalded or Pasteurized milk saves the lives
of scores of babies, because the germs of summer complaint which lurk
in poor milk are killed and rendered harmless in the process of
scalding. Dishes used by consumptives, and persons suffering from
contagious diseases, can be made harmless by thorough washing in thick
suds of almost boiling water.
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