The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-09-18


of the new cases have come from two
| or three buildings, indicating that the
general source of Infection is not so
active as It was, and that other meas
ures may suffice to crush it out.
The committee are informed on
medical authority that the cholera
germs cannot survive more than a few
hours of sunlight nor more than
twenty-four hours of absolute dryness,
| and that the application of consider
ably diluted solution of lime or other
| disinfectants is sufficient TO destroy
the germ.
In lieu of the quarantine the com
! mittee recommended that day be set
! apart for q universal house-cleaning
| and summing of the contents OF every
| dwelling in the city and the disinfect-
ing, by the use of lime and other dis
infectants, of the infected portion of
| the city and so much of the remainder
thereof as disinfectants at the disposal
OF the Board will reach.
This proposition appears at first sight
| to involve Herculean task. And so
it would if an attempt should be made
to carry it out by hired laborers and
| without the co. operation Of the people.
But "many hands make light work."
and if every householder and person
in town will disinfect his own premi-
p
| work can be accomplished on that day.
Your committee believe that the
proposition is entirely practical if the
procedure hereunder indicated is
adopted.
If sufficient lime or other disinfect-
ants were available, we should recon-
mend that the disinfecting procedure
hereunder suggested be applied to the
whole city. The committee has ascer-
fa hnTUnyynF rf "
barrels in the possession OF the Board
which must be kept for current cases,
there are only fifty barrels, newly
burned by T.. b. Thomas, available in
the city. No more will be available
from the latter source until next Sun
day. About $50 barrels is expected
by the Andrew Welcb, now about due;
but it is not here, and may not be for
another week, and some of this will
not be available.
In addition to lime, there is avail
able for disinfecting purposes enough
material to make $500 gallons OF cor
rOsive sublimate and 49, 900 lbs. OF 10
per cent. solution of sulphuric acid,
with productive capacity of 10000
lbs. a day in addition. There are also
small quantities of some other disin-
fectants hereinafter enumerated. The
committee has received extremely
conflicting advice as to the relative
value of the above named substances,
and, therefore, do not express any
opinion upon the subject, leaving to
the Board the decision of what disin-
fectant shall be used !; but all seem to
agree that lime is good, and as lime
has the advantage of self-demonstrat-
ing where it has been used, the COM
mittee suggest that it be used where
ever practicable as soon as available.
1t has been argued by some that it
is not best to do any disinfecting until
there is enough disinfecting material
to cover the whole town at once.
The committee are of the opinion,
however, that it is advisable to pro-
ceed with the cleaning and sunping
proposition at once, and use what dts
infectants are available at the points
most infected furnishing disinfect-
ants for other localities when they are
obtainable.
We recommend:
l. That the Board of Health, by for
NAL regulations, order that upon a
designated day all residence buildings
and premises, in the district of Homo
lulu, be thoroughly cleaned; and that
all clothing in personal use not newly
washed and clean, and all bedding in
use, be exposed to the sun all day, or
during so much thereof as there may
be no rain.
2. That certain portions of the city
which have been most infected with
cholera be designated as Objected Dis
tricts " and that in such infected dis
tricts all carpets and mats be also
taken up and likewise exposed to the
sun all day.
3. That in the said designated in
fected districts all unpainted rough
wood interiors and floors be white
washed; and all painted floors, in
terror walls, door and window castings
and veranda rails, be washed with a
disinfecting solution.
4. That in such infected districts
all clothing not newly washed and
cleaned, which will not be injured by
boiling, be boiled.
5. While believing that the great
majority of people will cheerfully co
operate with the order, it should be
made obligatory; for this purpose, a
printed notice should be served upon
each householder in accordance with
the terms Of the statute. This notice
can be delievered by the sub-inspectOrs
upon their tours of inspection.
6. We further recommend that the
Board furnish all lime and disinfect-
ants and whitewash brushes needed
free of charge.
7. That the Board request all mer-
chants and employers of labor in the
city TO, as far as possible, discontinue
business on the designated cleaning
day, without stopping the pay of en-
ployees, in order to enable them to
devote the entire day to cleaning and
di-iufectiOn.
1t is probable that some household
ers can not do all that is required to
be done in one day They can CON
tinue the next day and keep on until
finished but the great majority of the
buildings most in need OF disinfection
can be com pleted in one day.
S. 1t is manifest that unless the pro-
posed disinfectiOn, cleaning and sun-
ming takes place under intelligent
supervision, it will not be properly
done.