The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-10-02

With the development Of cholera in
the city has arisen the question OF
disinfectants, more fOrcibly perhaps
than al any time in the past. The
matter of efficiency has, Of course,
been followed by that of cost. Much at
tention has been gwen the subject by
professional men here. The first, and
what seems TO be a very good scheme,
has just been inaugurated by the Ha-
waiian Electric Company. It is
known as the Hermite system.
The sO-called system is based upon
the electrolysIs Of sea water. By
means Of an electric current passed
through the water the chloride Of mag
nesium is decompOsed, while the
chloride Of sodium serves as a con-
ductOT. The result is = liquid disin-
fectant of great power, which is almost
OdOTless, and leaves no residuum when
used for purposes of flushing. 1t is
absolutely inOhensive. II is said that
the solid matters in sewage are con-
sumed or dissolved in this liquid,
leaving an OdOrless fluid, incapable of
fermentation, and containing only a
few phOsphates, the salts of ammonia
and the salts OF the disInfectant itself,
The action of the disinfectant on
germ life Is peculiar. In an address
delivered at the Hotel de Vile,
Havre, on the sanitation of the city,
Audre Dubosc, the eminent savant,
gave very clear explanation of the
way in which microbes are destroyed
by the Hermite liquid. He said
microbes may be divided into two !
great classes-anaerObic organisms, |
which exist without air, and aerObic |
organisms, requiring air to live. On |
the anaerObes, or microbes, living with |
out air, the action of the. compound |
of chlorine Is simple, as the freeing of /
its oxygen causes their instant death, |
inasmuch, as in presence of that gas
IN excess, as their name indicates,
they cannot exist. The fatty princi-
pies, particularly abundant in sewage
matters, are specially concerned;
the oxygen is absorbed, the volatile
fatty acids liberated, and these under
go so strong an oxidation that they
often result in the appearance of
formic acid. The equilibrium of the
chemical medium of the microbe be-
ing thus destroyed, it perishes as an
individual would perish after swal-
lowing vitriol or inhaling sulphurous
acid gas"
The Hawaiian Electric Company
, 1
produce, this disinfectant, which is
said to be such a good one. An ordi.
nary watering cart, such as is used for
sprinkling the streets, was filled with
salt water and q current of electricity
allowed to pass through.
After five or six hours, it is said,
the water will be charged with chlor-
inc so that the odor is quite percepti-
bic. Even when the oder cannot be
detected, it is said the liquid is a sure
germ killer. The chlorine is present
IN the nascent state.
Small quantities of the new disin-
fectant have already been made here. !
DR.. Smith tested it and thought the
liquid a good one for disinfecting pur- ,
poses. {
1t may be said that the application
Jf the system would have the advant-
age of saving large proportion OF the
water usually employed in the flush J
ng of sol! and drain pipes, as well as !
he much larger quantity used in ]
iushing sewers and washing cutters.
IL can be conveyed into houses, and {
he contents of water closets, after {
being treated with the disinfectant, 7
will help to purify the main drains :
md sewers. :
The disinfectant is thought to be a q
Tery valuable one, and particularly 1
applicable to this country, where I
here is an abundance OF salt water To n
70 obtained at all times In the ex-
,eriments that have been made here =
he disinfectant has given good salts V
action. e