The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-05-04
REP@B0FDR. ELECTROMAGNETIC TRACK
SEVERAL PRESENTED TO BOARD
OF HEALTH.
Discussion on the Matter of Reopening
Chinatown-Dr. Maxwell Expresses
His Views Regarding 1t.

His Views Regarding 1t.
In his remarks before the Board of
Health Wednesday afternoon DR. Wood
not only dwelt at length upon the sub |
ject of the soils of Chinatown, but re-
ferred to other reports of DR.. Hoffman
on important matters. This is what he
said in this part of the meeting:
II have some reports of Dr. Hoffman
on soil analysis. They are not COM
plete, but show the work as it is being
done.
Here is one upon the topic of making
Haffkines prophylsctic, being an ex-
pertinent to determine whether by fol-
lowing the direction of Haffkine o. the
serum can be manufactured in Hawaii
as successfully as in Washington. The
process is to develope plague bacilli in
sterilized bouillon, sometimes adding
little oil and heating to a temperature
which has been found to absolutely kill
the bacilli. Thus we have the oacilli
but they are dead bacilli and have left
merely the txine or poison produced by
| the bacilli.
Knowing the quantity of toxine
which injected into a man will produce
death, we inject simply enough to cause
! the system of the one inoculated TO
| generate an anti-toxine. This anti
toxine having begun to be manufactur-
ed in the human system, it will continue
| for considerable period. say six
months, so that we have produced ex-
actly the same result as in the case of
person who has had the plague and
recovered from 1t, and is therefore i'm
mune from another attack as long as
his system continues to. generate the
| anti4toxine.
Here is a report of DR.. Hoffman on
Japanese food stuffs. Without reading
the report the following are about the
conclusions arrived at as a result of
the investigation: ..
! Experiments We're made to see how
long bacilli would live in various forms
of Japanese foods after being introduce
ed. In a general way 1t was found that
the preserved food stuffs with an acid
reaction could not culture the bacilli,
and bacilli introduced were soon killed.
showing that there could be no bacilli
in the preserved food stuffs, and If any
bacilli should enter they would be
killed. Other articles of food were found
to carry the bacilli about as long as
other ordinarily called innocent arti-
cles, such as dried fish, etc"
r,I In his talk on soils DR.. Wood conclud-
ed, as follows:
The soil committee is not yet ready
to report. The committee realizes it's
! responsibility and wants to make sure
before making a report The plague is
back in Osaka after a period of ninety
days. l am stating these things for the
benefit of the public, and / hope they
will reach the public, and especially
those interested in the opening up of
the burned district"
Mr.. Bolte:-I would like to be privi-
legged to ask two questions. l want to
state that 1 approve heartily of the
work of the committee and of the aC-
tions of the Board of Health but many
of my friends are after me and for them
l appear before you to ask a question
or two. The first one is: Can not the
soil be sterilized by means of sulphuric
acid or some of the other methods?
DR.. Wood-There is no way of ster-
illizing the soil in a thorough manner.
You cannot sterilize the bottom of a
cesspool nor the windings of a rathole,
and these are the most dangerous
places.
Mr.. Bolte-Ry. blowing after ster-
illization you would fill up the ratholes.
You can pillow two feet deep if neces-
sary. The cost OF sterillizing and plow-
ing would be less than the income from
the land for one month.
DR.. Wood-Rats do not stay where no
people are. We burned the livery sta
bles because we found they harbored
rats. The bacilli will die unmolested If
there are no rats to stir up the soil.
Mr.. Bolte-Does anyone know
whether rat goes more than two feet
under the soil?
DIR. Wood don't know.
Geo. w. Smith-Experiments are
now being conducted.
Mr.. Bolte-I do not criticize the Board
Of Health. l am doing all l can among
my friends to show them that the
Board of Health is doing the right thing
hut we might as well be frank about
it; they are saying unComplimentaTy
things about the Board and the Com
mittee of Soil.
DR.. Wood would like to have the
community understand that the Board
of Health are simply trying to find out
whether there is danger to the public
health in opening Chinatown up. The
extension of the fire limits has nothing
to do with it.
Mr.. Bolte-I am glad that you spoke
: of the fire limits, for that was a rather
delicate point which | wished to raise.
With regard to the cesspools in China
town there can be no cesspools in Chi
natown, as by the time the buildings
could be put up there will be sewerage
and they will be compelled to connect
with the sewers. If the experiment
might be tried with part of the district
TO see how it would work, my friends
would be satisfied.
DR. Wood-The whole district must
be treated together. AS to the extern
sion of the fire limits, or as to the in
tiuence of some sort or other being
brought to bear on the Board to post
pone the opening of Chinatown until the
new Legislature could meet and extend
, the fire limits, which may be some time
next August or September, | believe
that the Government would be very
glad II 1t could be done. / believe that
the Cabinet and every member of this
! Board would like to see the fire limits
: extended over Chinatown before that
district is again opened up. l know
q that personally as an individual the
; President of this Board would like tC
> see that come to pass. l do not want
to see any more fire traps in this dis
trict, but nevertheless this Board viii
not allow that to weigh with them IN
e the determination of the question as tC
the lnfanIlnI of LhA COIL Of Tho hmm OF