of this important and necessary work. It is very desirable that some definitive matter toming be arrived at as to how these analyses are to be made, more especially with regard to water as the work should be done before the hot and sickly season arrive, because it is highly probable the abomination of last summer will be repeated this year and forcibly with greater cause.
2. Disinfectants. With reference to the doctor's second recommendation the Ground has already recommended in the pamphlet "How to oppose cholera" the use of sulphate of iron as a disinfectant for choleraic excreta. Should the necessity arise this vitriol salt can be used in the public Latrines in lieu of quick-lime. It is made in Hong Kong and can be purchased locally at a low rate.
The acid or more correctly speaking the per-salts of iron cannot be obtained in quantity locally, and I doubt if their superiority over the ventral or proto-salts of iron is such as to justify importing them when the latter can be obtained at a much cheaper rate on the spot. However, in view of Dr. Buchanan's recommendation it would be advisable to get quotations from the Crown Agents of the price of some commercial acid in per-salts form. The necessity of having a large supply of disinfectants always in store is obvious. At the present time we have:
760 gallons Crude Carbolic Acid.
515 drums Jeyes' Disinfecting Fluid.
590 drums Burnett's Fluid.
I recommend that these be increased and supplemented to:-
1,000 gallons crude Carbolic Acid.
500 drums Jeyes' Disinfecting Fluid.
371 drums Burnett's Fluid.
1/2 Ton Sulphur.