Polynesian., 1855-07-21
fFor the PolynesIan.l

/ iSOF the Poynesiani
SIR ;-Availing myself Of your intention to open
little wider your columns to correspondence, | viii
make few remarks on an act relating to the public
health, in fact the establishment of Board Of Health
for the Sandwich Islands OF vast importance TO
the welfare Of the inhabitants If Carried out with the
same care which has influenced its trainers The act
gives the necessary powers by which its benevolent in
tentiOns may be carried out their fullest extent, but
the framing good law, and carrying it into effect
very different matters /; and knowing the difficulty
which presents itself at every step IN old countries
with consequently better organized machinery
wish to suggest a few hints which my acquaintance
with Boards Of Health, during three visitations Of
Cholera and several Of tYphus fever, have enabled me
TO do, exemplfyng the difficulties 70 be met, and
the advantages resulting from proper santory mesures
shown by the comparative immunity which districts
properly severed cleansed and ventilated, possessed
others less fvOrably circumstanced, where from
inability negligence to comply with proper Hygienlc
measures the disease allowed to stalA broad IN all
its deformity, until having completed ITS number OF
victims and exhausted ITSELF it left the locality mel
anehoy spectacle parents left childeSs, and children
bereft oftheir natural guardians, and support. The
melancholy truth OF all this sacrifice 10 the Moloch
Of filth only remaining to be forgotten and neglected
until another threatnng actual recurrence Of dis
aroused the supne inhabitants from their seeming
security 10 be again scourged as before
In these Islands you have had melancholy proof OF
the importance Of ayertng disease by timely measures,
and the loss Of your population consequent On neglect
IS fresh enough IN the memory Of all, to make them
alive to the necessity Of cooperating with the Board Of
Health in carving out the intentions Ofthe legislature
would suggestia lfHtiHe, that the appointment OF
three persons constitute Board OF Health, Is likely
be attended with Of two consequences either Of
which will be pfejudicia to the obJsct hey VIII GO
the duty for time, bat find II too hborious and en-
crossing too much for any gentlemen to be asked to do
gratuitously, and they viii gveit up or they wall IN
dertake 1t as thing Of little Importance, and i VIII be-
come at once dead letter, AID only be thought ser-
Ousy Of when malignant contagious disease has
arrived. and found that they had been sleeping with
their lamps uutrimmed, and preparation made for
warding of, or receiving the unwelcome visitor
take for granted that meeting Of this Board
should for local purposes take place weekly, or It
may be daily and according 10 the usage IN such cases
unless quorum present say two Of the three no
act could be done. Generally speaking one or two sc
tive persons do the work, and therefore some people
prefer small committee but suppose one member o-
eupied by his profession or business and not unco-
mon thing happens 10 = second, who JoFgsfs the
horr of the meeting and the working member arrives,
aways ~ his post but without quorum, do moth
ing This happens 50 oen and week after week Is lost,
that it becomes thing TO be forgotten, at least that be-
genes the rule and attendance the exception Now n
tere we're nine OF eleven (s is usual in cd eOuntries
some two or three would likely attend, and the one
working member finding himself supported even BY the
presence Of his colleagues, and that re coud do some
thing would 20 on, and the duty DC 10 some extent
dope.
suppose these weekly meetings TO take place reports
to be regularly made directions given for 5rremoyal ofnui-
sances and instructions sent TIE different localities,
,hrrsgh the other Islands VIII not this involve an
anouut Of labor greater than any three OF your most
active and ber5v5ert citizens would long incline to- To
carry orr from the first the objects Of the ball, Otce
in central situation should Re proerred, and Scre-
tary whose duty should lie to attend there 70 receive
reports (as directed BY TIE 9TH secton,) Of magnant
disease 10 communicate the same to Board summoned
for tie purpose, to keep the acts and minutes OF meet
ings 10 notice all parties on whose premises haSanees
are found to have them removed, to enforce the same
Necessary. suDerin;end the filling up OF pits or Ponds
where filth has been allowed to accumulate II the per-
son 50 appointed possessed sufficient knoEieoge OF sur
ve7ne and engineering enable him 10 saperintend,
ami direct the sewerng, and proper drainage OF the
town il would make him more efficient and useful
This last Is perhaps the important part OF the
duties Of the Boarl Prevention beng better tnn cure,
all Efforts should be directed the removal Of nth:
and providing proper receptaces foTt, where = would
not be perncious The difficulties and prsJaaces Wheh
Board Of Health has contend with, sre very great
and otter haFrassing, bat Ierssting win courteous
frnness the prejadces vii cease gEaaa4y' ana tns
co-nfyrt and benefit become apparent AM TnsteFer
ouposifou or annoyance may bs 81 H-st mex VIII re
e.rnu.nslted By Ultimate suCoeSs, ana the approval
which Conscientious discharge Of duty arords, VIII
the salvation Of the health and the lives OF many Tao
at first ghtei or opposed their best directed efforts.
II tbey only pesevere, the measure OF the government
VII be Of ncalculabe importanee, but II they re@&
they nav have 70 reject that opportunity o bene
string their species has been thrown AS4y ifei san
cius thai slch viii rot he the case, and wishing esey
success to the measure, ar. &c. 1--WE