Treatment of termite infested wood

Termite infestations in a traditional wooden meeting house have been
treated in the past with diesel.  This method is said to be
effective and it is planned to use this treatment again.  Some of
the wooden panels are painted with earth pigments--said to be bound
with an oil extracted from a native fruit.  Is the diesel treatment
likely to damage either the wood or the paintwork?  (I suspect
applying anything to the paint would be damaging).  Will the
flammability of the structure be increased in the long term?  Are
there any other simple remedies for termites?  Please bear in mind
that we have limited funding and are very isolated so the latest
treatments would probably not be available.

Vanessa Roth
Conservator
Belau National Museum
Republic of Palau

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:83
                  Distributed: Tuesday, April 14, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-11-83-009
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