Green Soap

GREEN SOAP, Sapo viridis (FUP), s. Sapo kalinus venalis (potassium soap), an official liquid soap obtained by saponifying hemp or sunflower oil with a solution of caustic potash; it is a soft, translucent mass of dark brown or greenish color with a faint soapy odor; it dissolves easily in water and alcohol, forming a clear, strongly foaming solution of soap. It should contain not less than 40% fatty acids, not more than 0.28% free alkali, and not more than 45% water. Green soap exerts on the skin a softening action on the stratum corneum, a mild irritating action, and the cleansing action characteristic of all soaps. It is applied only externally in chronic eczema, psoriasis, pityriasis, and other diseases; it is often used as a means of preparing the skin for the treatment of scabies and for the systematic treatment of scrofulous gland packets, as well as cutaneous and bone tuberculosis, by rubbing in 10.0-30.0 into the healthy skin of the back or thigh. Green soap finds wide application in sanitary practice for washing hands and the body, as well as in disinfection. The cleansing properties of green soap are due to the fact that soaps, as salts of higher fatty acids, undergo hydrolysis in water and break down into caustic alkali, which dissolves the cutaneous fat, and the acid salt of the fatty acid, which forms an emulsion with the soap solution, mechanically carrying away dirt. In the cold state, solutions of green soap act very weakly on bacteria, in the hot state significantly more strongly. By boiling for half an hour in a 0.25-0.5% aqueous solution of green soap, infected linen, gowns, blankets, dishes, and other washable items are reliably disinfected. In the cold state, 2-3% solutions of green soap possess reliable disinfecting action in combination with carbolic acid, cresols, formalin; such preparations are called soap-carbolic solutions, lysol, lysiform, etc. But even these preparations are recommended to be applied as far as possible in a heated state, since an increase in temperature sharply enhances their disinfecting properties. - Preparations: Spiritus saponis kalmi (Hebrae), Hebra's soap alcohol - a 60% aqueous-alcoholic solution of green soap with the addition of lavender alcohol, a transparent brownish-green liquid, strongly foaming when shaken with water; externally - for washing and for rubbing into the skin in neuralgic and rheumatic pains. Soap-carbolic solutions, weak and strong; the former contain 2% green soap and 3% carbolic acid, the latter correspondingly 3% and 5%; applied as a disinfecting agent.

"GREEN CITY" represents a planned new Moscow region resort, conceived in 1929 by M. Koltsov, the famous Soviet journalist, and currently being created in combination with a healthy suburban settlement. The main task of this Green City is to bring sanatorium-resort aid directly to the working people, from the point of view of the possibility of organizing a resort "at home", and simultaneously to create an extensive network of sanitary-prophylactic institutions for the healthy rest of urban residents. The idea put forward met with universal sympathy and was discussed both in the press and at numerous meetings. As a result, a special organization, the so-called "Green City", was created, into which a number of institutions and departments entered as shareholders. The financing of the entire enterprise is ensured by the participation of a number of state and public organizations, which distributed among themselves the shares of this joint-stock society in the total amount of 7 million rubles. The remaining part of the authorized capital, determined by the charter in the amount of 10 million rubles, is distributed among the grassroots trade union network. On these funds, work is being carried out on the design, planning, and improvement of the Green City. The construction itself is to be financed by those organizations and institutions that are building their residential and special-purpose buildings in the Green City. The Green City arises with the most benevolent participation on the part of the organized working masses. The entire trade union network is extremely interested in the creation of the Green City. A number of trade union organizations expressed a desire to build their preventive-treatment institutions on the territory of the Green City. The choice of place for the Green City was determined both by sanitary considerations and by the availability of convenient communication routes. After a number of surveys, it was decided to stop at the section of the Northern Railway approximately 37 km from Moscow, near Bratishchino station (see map). In addition to the electrified section of the Northern Railway, this section is served by part of the newly constructed Pushkino-Belkovo railway and by highways. The Yaroslavl highway from Moscow to Sofrino station will be covered with asphalt; in addition, the Green City area is covered by a network of its own asphalt highways. Special attention will be paid to the improvement of communications. The entire section occupies about 15,000 hectares and is located in a wooded area, on both sides of the railway and the adjacent highway, in the area of the villages of Bratishchino-Spasskoye. A number of preliminary surveys gave a basis for the design of the Green City itself. The surveys covered land surveying tasks for the area and concerned the description of soil, meteorological conditions, road affairs, socio-economic characteristics of settlements, administrative, trading, and other institutions, dachas, water supply, etc. A detailed hydrogeological survey was carried out (relief of the area, geological structure, water economy). A survey of the forest massif gave material characterizing the rich green vegetation of the selected area. A sanitary survey covered sanitary topography of the area, sanitary description of settlements, characterization of the morbidity of the area, in particular malaria, etc. Aerial photography of the area was carried out. All surveys were conducted according to detailed and special programs. As a result of the survey, the boundaries of the Green City were determined, its zoning in the sense of distribution, differentiation of areas for various elements of the Green City was carried out, and the determination of protective zones of forest plantings and therapeutic-prophylactic institutions was made. - The character of the Green City is revealed from all the elements that must be present in it. Cooperative construction areas of a permanent nature, dachas, hotels, dormitories, medical-labor colonies, camps and tents are planned. A large physical culture and sports area should adjoin these elements, behind which lies the area of rest homes and health resorts. And finally, sanatoriums are located most isolated in the Green City. In addition, for the service of the child population in the Green City area, forest schools, kindergartens, and a network of children's playgrounds are planned. The Green City will have its own center of cultural entertainment: theater, cinema, etc. The population contingent of the Green City, besides healthy resting people, is recruited from overfatigued, anemic, mild therapeutic patients (heart, metabolic disorders, etc.) and neurotics. The methods of influence in relation to patients are assumed to be the following: a) regimen with maximum use of natural forces of nature (stay in the air, sun, hydrotherapy, water procedures in the open air and indoors), b) dietetics, c) physical culture, d) special medical cabinets, e) labor therapy on agricultural-type works. Each area of the Green City is separated from another by a protective zone. The question of the collectivization of those individual farms that are currently on the territory of the Green City is being worked out. The Joint Stock Society Narpit takes part in the organization of public catering on the territory of the Green City. - An example of a Green City has already caused a number of similar projects in the provinces. In a number of cities of Ukraine (Kharkov, Kiev) and in some cities of the RSFSR, the question of building cities according to the type of the Green City has also begun to be worked out. The socio-sanitary significance of this entire undertaking is very great. For the first time, an entire city is being rebuilt from scratch on a completely empty place, which will have to serve as an example and model of our large-scale construction and urban planning in general. In this respect, the Green City acquires in our social conditions a significance analogous to that which in its time bourgeois England received Letchworth (see Garden Cities) - the first garden city (built by Howard), the significance of which was great not so much in itself as in the fact that its foundations generally penetrated into the planning and construction of English cities and settlements. Taking into account the health-improving significance of the Green City, sanitary organization has to take a live part in this whole matter - planning, design, and implementation of this large project at all stages of its development. For this purpose, a health cabinet with a council of health consisting of large hygienists AND CLINICIANS at the NE.