The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-11-25
DOCTOR | {. GOFER
WORKS IN SEATTLE
ATTRACTIVE MENU CONTAINING
ARSENIC AND OTHER DEATH
DEALING MATERIAL FOR RATS.

DEALING MATERIAL FOR RATS.
SEATTLE, November 9.-The bri-
gade engaged in the work of exter-
minating rats under DR.. l.. G. Golfer,
of the United States public health and
marine hospital service, yesterday dis
trbuted enough poison to carry death
to 100000 human beings if the savory
messes prepared for the rodents by
Chemist George L. Mason were to be
divided into separate portions OF sur
fcient strength each to kill one man.
81 used today thirty pounds Of ar
senic," said Mr.. Mason last evening.
1T takes a grain of arsenic to kill a
man, and there are 1000 grains IN
pound. You can figure it out for your
self"
The district in which this poison is
being distributed lies between Fourth
and Tenth avenues and Yesler way and
Weller street. Thirty-two inspectors
under the direction of four doctors, are
engaged in placing the poison where it
will work the most havoc among the
rodents.
Sweetened bread is soaked in an ar
senical solution. More bread is
smeared with a paste made of cheese
and cooked corn meal in which arsenic
is mixed. Still more bread is spread
| over with a paste composed of phos-
! phorus and lard. So much of the lat
ter has been used that last night there
was not one-half a pound of phosphor-
Gus left IN the city.
In DR.. Cofer's headquarters, upstairs
in the health department, on Jefferson
| street, a dozen men were busy all day
cutting up bread. Piles of it occupied
one side of the big room, and as they
were depleted by the workers addi-
Honal supplies of bread came in. Start
| ing at the end of loaf the poison
would be laid on and the piece sliced
off. More poison on the exposed end,
and then it would be sliced off and
laid on the first one When the loaf
was completely sliced the deadly sand
wishes would be pressed together and
! long knives used to cut the whole
into cubes These were packed into
pals and, carrying the latter, the dis
tricts to strew the poison around rat
holes and in areas where the rodents
are known to abound.
The reason why the predominating
poison used was arsenic is because that
mineral creates an overpowering thirst
and when the rat finds it gnawing at
his vitals ne will come up out of his
hole or hiding place to search for
water. In this way the unpleasant
ness resulting from the rats dying in
their places of concealment will be
obviated to a large extent, for when
the rats die where they can be found
it is an easy matter to remove their
bodies
In addition to the killing by poison
rat traps baited with cheese and por-
tions of bread smeared with phosphor-
escent paste were distributed largely
in the wholesale district The traps
are of the wire cage variety and will
catch the quarry alive. Each cage is
tagged and the number and street
where it has been set recorded.
DIR. Golfer is DESTROYS that the public
should be warned of the presence of
the poison for the destruction of rats,
| NOT tbat thora ic oDv daDua,, IN mann,
bers of the human family but so that
they will be warned to look out for
their pets. If innocent cats and dogs
scent the rat bait they will be liable
to sample it, for the stuff is being put
up in tempting shape, and the effect
on a prize $500 bat-eared French bull
dog will differ in no way from that
which happens to an ordinary rat good
for 10 cents at the health office.
DIR. F. S. Bourns yesterday complet-
ed his machinery for cleaning up the
city, and his inspectors started super
intending the work of cleaning up the
oil university grounds on Union street
and also the district between Pike and
Pine streets. DR.. Bourns will not be
able to complete the organization of
his force until the committee consist
ing of members of the city council and
health board, which has under con-
sideration proposed methods of gar
bage removal. comes to some conclu-
sion. The committee is gathering in
formation and deciding on a course
which will be brought before a meet
ing to be called next week, when all
the details have been worked out.
Street Commissioner Maloney and City
Chemist Moore are chiefly employed on
this work.
This will probably be added to Our
Father Who Art in Heaven: And
may eternal confusion visit the wo-