The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-02-10
Citizens Sanitary Committee 'Sug-
gests Time for Setting Poison.
Approved by DR.. Wood.

ly on the poisoning proposition, so that
effort on the part of the
citizens and householders will be eff
cacious in discriminating the danger
Gus rodents:
Plan f Committee.
Honolulu, H. l., Feb. 8, 1900.
DR.. G. B. Wood,
President Board of Health,
City.
Dear Sir: In pursuance with the in
timation from the Board of Health that
it would approve a general rat poison
ing proposition, this committee has
made investigation as to the ways and
means OF carrying it out.
The amount of rat poison available
in the city is entirely inadequate to
carry out the proposition. The COM
mittee estimate that there should not
be less than, say, 10000 packages or
points Of distribution, and have obtain
ed the following figures as TO cost:
1t will take 1000 pounds to furnish
material enough. We have ascertain
ed from Messrs. Benson, Smith & Co.
that they will furnish this amount of
specially prepared rat poison for $780,
There are practically no containers In
town sufficient for this purpose and the
committee propose to have inch and
one-half auger holes bored three
fourths of an inch into a piece of
board, say, three inches square. Into
this hole, the poison, consisting of a
mixture OF flour, lard and arsenic,
Favored with rhodium, will be placed.
The committee have obtained figures
from the three saw mills of the city
and these containers can be had at Ia
to IL cents apiece. Thirty thousand
of these at IA cents apiece would be
1915. This would make total cost OF
1915, exclusive of transportation. AS
the containers suggested are bulky, the
transportation and distribution will
cost considerable. In view OF this
heavy cost (apd there does not seem
to be any way of lessening) and of the
fact that the tangible results of the
proposition may not be large, the com.
mittee submit the program and it's de,
tails for your approval or otherwise
as you may think best. We remain,
Your obedient servants,
CITIZENS SANITARY COMMITTEE
(Signed) L. A. THURSTON
| LII COAnCClIOn Will JIC dUONO COlu
munication Mr.. Thurston presented tn,
following program for the proposed
rat catching scheme:
Program for Citizens.
All citizens are requested to cooper
ate with the Citizens Sanitary Com
mittee and inspectors in the destruc
ton of rats, which are known to spreat
plague. In order to do this effectivel,
the following suggestions are made:
TIME.-Simultaneo action shoul,
be taken for this purpose. Thursda,
and Friday afternoon and evening
next, are designated as the time TO
action.
MEANS.-Every one who has or ca,
obtain rat trap or traps is requisite
to bait and set the same at the tim
aforesaid. AS traps are but few an
the need is urgent, the liberal use G
rat poison is recommended. All VIII
can afford to buy are requested to oil
tain the poison themselves. The CON
mittee will furnish it free to those VIII
are unable to buy and to those VIII
will distribute it where it is most neef
ed. To those who can pay, the con
mittee will furnish poison at the raj
of five cents per package The poiso
can be had of Benson, Smith & Co
the Citizens Sanitary Committee or til
inspectors.
SPREAD OF INFORMATION.-Eac
inspector or sub-inspector is reuueste
to inform the people of their sever,
districts of the time and manner |
} which the attempt will be made to d,
stroy the rats and to request their O.
operation. The newspapers are ais
t requested to call daily attention to II
matter. Each inspector is requested
canvass his district as soon as mo-
slble and secure as many voluntee,
as he can to assist in the thorough an
trlbution of the poison; and also to r.
port to the committee at as earlv
date as possible, the number of nae,
. ages of poison he will require in h
district. !"
PLACING OF WATERFALLS see
water after eating poison. Place wat,
within easy access of each packa,
OF poison so that the rats will he a
tracted thereto and die there instes
Of scattering to places where thew 90,
not be found.
DISPOSAL OF RATS.-EarIv On +,
morning following each distribution
poison, careful search should he ma,
Tor dead rats. The Board of Heal
oHers a reward for rats, but handlir
tnem is dangerous. 1t is recommend,
that all rats found be immediatelv 8
turated with kerosene oil and hnrn,
on the spot. Add fuel enough to maj
the burning complete. Do not ton,
the rats Handle them with sticks a,
nurn the sticks; or with a shovel a,
tnen expose the shovel blade to fir
\ II the rat is moved, pour kerosene {
n on the spot where found and bu,
n thoroughly.
METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION r
PoISON.-Each package of ordina
rat poison is accompanied by dire
tlons FOR its use. The poison furnish,
by the committee will be all prepar,
and run into auger holes in boards :
ready for placing where needed.
QUANTITY TO BE USED.-If +h