The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-03-06
BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING.


Treatment of Infected Soil.
President Wood. Dr. Day, Dr. Emer-
son and Messrs. Lowrey, Smith and
Hatch were present at yesterdays
meeting of the Board OF Health.
Dr. Wood, after the secretary had
read the minutes of the previous meet
ing and they had been approved, read
the following communication from
Walter Maxwell relative to the treat
ment of the soil infected by plague
germs:
Honolulu. II. J.. March 5, 1900.
DIR. G. b. Wood. President Board OF
Health, City.
Dear Sir: In view of the circum-
stance that was absent from the ISL
ands during the period when action
had to be- taken dealing with the
plague, and that / have been able 10 do
littl4' more than praise the great eff
forts and sacrifices made by your in
stitution, and by citizens, in handling
the situation, ought possibly TO apol-
-ogize for troubling you at all in the
matter. have noticed, however, that
the question Is already being discussed
as to what shall be done with the soil
infected areas where properties were
burned down. 1t is suggested that dis
s infectants should be used; and, fur
Their, that sulphuric acid would be the
best agent for the purpose. After con-
sidering the precise knowledge to
hand, OF the effect of dilute solutions
Of the said acid upon the plague bacil-
lus. and the value of calculated water
for surface street sprinking purposes,
on the other hand | am of the opinion
that sulphuric acid, or any other acid
disinfectants, applied In any reasonable
quantities, would not be effective In
treating soils. and quite specifically
our soils. and for the following rea-
sons
A-As soon as the acid in any dis
infectant becomes neutraliZed by the
bases in the soil its antiseptic action
as an acid ceases.
B-Hawaiian soils are ultra basic as
distinguished from old country. dcidiC
soils, and they therefore swallow VI
and rapidly render Inert any volume
OF free acid This Is due largely &c
the excess of iron in the soils; but II
the neighborhood of Honolulu, cora
reef. underlying or mixed up with the
soil, adds specially TO the basic nature
of the soil.
The basic nature of Honolulu soili
makes them naturally more antisepti'
than old siliceous soils, because OF th'
ease and rapidity with which the sol
bases eat up the organic matter. III
however, for a special reason, and IL
any specific localities IL is desirable u
add TO the soil some altiseptic agent
| suggest Il should be alkaline, AM
quite decided caustic or quick lime
Lime would not only continue 10 exer
its action in the soil, relatively unin
terfered with by the soil constituents
II can be applied in ample bulk an
at a low cost, considering the gray
purpose in view. The outside cost
lime, at normal prices, would be dOou
SIS per ton, which, at the rate or ap
plication of ten tons, would amount I
$3.50 per acre, of the land to be treated
so that twenty acres would cost, a
that rate, s.. 900 for the lime itself.
In applying IL is advised that IN
lime should be turned out OF the bar
rels and spread evenly over the ian
and allowed to lie just so long expose
to the air as is necessary to slake, an
fall into the powdered state, in whic
it can be absolutely, evenly distribu
ted. III 1t lies too long 1t will becom
inactive. on account of taking up cal
bonic acid from the air, and returnin
\ to the carbonate state.
Unless ii Is actually proven thas tn
germs lie at a greater depth than on
II or two inches, the soil should I
ploughed only to that depth. for
N proportion to the mass OF soil mike
~ up with the lime will be the potenc
of the latter. Ten tons OF lime NEAR
NJ 10000 pounds per acre; one inch
n soil over the space of an acre meal
100000 pounds of soil, so that
IA plough the lime in to a great dept
would mean the dilution of the ant
septic until the action would be aimo
nil.
f It may further be in place to 81
.| that all cesspools, etc, that it may
necessary TO empty, should be tho