The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-03-06
BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING
Walter Maxwelrs Letter ON the
Treatment OF Infected Soil.

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
he following communication from
Walter Maxwell relative to the treat
nent of the soil infected by plague
germs:
Honolulu, IL. l., March B, 1900.
DR.. G. b. Wood, President Board OF
Health, City.
Dear Sir: In view of the circum-
stance that | was absent from the Isl
tnds during the period when action
lad to be taken dealing with the
plague, and that | have been able TO do
title more than praise the great eff
.Orts and sacrifices made by your in
5titution, and by citizens, in handling
Jhe situation, | ought possibly to apol-
Jgize for troubling you at all in the
natter. | have noticed, however, that
he question is already being discussed
IS TO what shall be done with the soil
Infected areas where properties were
burned down. 1t is suggested that dis
.nfectants should be used; and, fur
her, that sulphuric acid would be the
Jest agent for the purpose. After con-
sidering the precise knowledge to
land, of the effect of dilute solutions
If the said acid upon the plague bacil-
us, and the value of calculated water
or surface street sprinkling purposes,
IN the other hand am of the opinion
nat sulphurlc acid, or any other acid
llsinfeCtants, applied in any reasonable
Quantities, would not be effective in
reating soils, and quite specifically
our soils, and for the following rea-
sons:
A--As soon as the acid in any dis
nfectant becomes neutra.ized by the
bases in the soil its antiseptic action
as an acid ceases.
D-hawanan soils are ultra basic as
distinguished from old country, acidic
soils, and they therefore swallow up
md rapidly render inert any volume
II free acid. This is due largely TO
1he excess of iron in the soils; but in
he neighborhood of Honolulu, coral
reef, underlying or mixed up with the
,oil, adds specially to the basic nature
II the soil.
The basic nature of Honolulu soils
makes them naturally more antiseptic
IAN old slliceous soils, because OF the
Ease and rapidly with which the soil
Jases eat up the organic matter. II,
however, for n special reason, and in
my specific localities it is desirable to
add to the soil some antlseptic agent,
| suggest it should be alkaline, and
quite decided caustic or quick lime.
Lime would not on,y continue to exert
,ts action in the soil, relatively unin-
.erfered with by the soil constituents,
I can be applied in ample bulk and
1t low cost, considering the grave
purpose in view. The outside cost OF
lime, at normal prices, would be about
10 per ton, which, ut the rate OF APP
llicatlon OF ten tons, would amount TO
$3.50 per acre, of the land to be treated;
so that twenty acres would cost, at
hat rate, $4,000 for the lime itself.
In applying 1t Is advised that the
ime should be turned out of the bar
rels and spread evenly over the land
md allowed to lie just so long exposed
o the air as is necessary to slake, and
All into lne pOWueIeu sldlc, III WnlHu
i can be absolutely, evenly distribu-
led. II 1t lies too long 1t will become
Inactive, on account of taking up car
| oonic acid from the air, and returning
20 the carbonate state.
Unless ii is actually proven that tbs
terms lie at greater depth than on'
or two inches. the soil should b.
lloughed only to that depth, for il
proportion to the mass OF soil miXeC
up with the lime will be the potenc!
IF the latter. Ten tons OF lime mean
10000 pounds per acre; one inch o
soil over the space OF an acre mean
100000 pounds of soil, SO that L
plough the lime in to a great dept
would mean the dilutlon OF the anti
eptlc until the action would be almos
nil.
1t may further be in place TO 81,
that all cesspools, etc., that II may b
necessary 10 empty, should be thor