The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1865-07-22
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser,


Of the legislature. the wiseacres who control az
fairs in the Hawaiian Islands are going 70 work
10 = save the nation" All that has been done
heretofore IS as nothing, compared with this great
ministerial measure which was brought about by
exciting the alarm and pandering TO the rreju-
dices Of the public. His Excellen0y the Minister
Of Finance stated on the floor of the Convention :
"From 10000. the population hal fallen down TO 6o.Oco, and
every dty the race vas fastening TO the grave ATilI diseases
h'sPN4i' m'lun-~Lt o ILtiF Sie-L : aHd oi lis az h's-sS >
charity, vas lettering for want Of funds, and could hardly &C
lie Instruction, he had had in his hand a few weeks ago a re-
attend some schools, being sick from yensreaI diseases The
hand q God was heavy on the people. We're those evils the re-
suits Of the Constitution Of Is522 No, But the Constitution,
years and years the Reports Of the Ministers had contained sug-
suggestions had been disregarded, and the reports treated a
mere waste paper"
Consequently, although the Constitution of
1852 had not been the cause of the rapid decrease
of the population, yet it had stood in the way Of
measures TO arrest the causes which led to the de-
crease But now under the new Constitution,
suggestions carefully considered and practically
made are being carried out, consequently the
causes will BE- checked and in time cease to exist.
One Of the measures is the Act to prevent the
spread of the leprosy. We have been told that q
person is now on the island of Molokai for the
purpose Of selecting a suitable locality, to which
all lepers are to b. banished. Another report says
that they will be put into a valley on this island.
The word leprosy carries with it the idea of
something dreadful. What is the disease in these
islands styled Chinese leprosy? In conversation
with those who have seen eases of it, men of in
telligence, educated physicians in two instances,
we have been told that it is not a fatal disease,
and moreover, that they did not consider it either
contagious or infectious. If it is, why are patients
treated for it in the Queens Hospital? We have
heard that the father of Queen Emma had the
disease for twenty years, and neither his wife nor
daughter ever had 4 symptom of it. Instances
are known where one or two laborers on our
plantations may have the disease, doing their duty
well, and not conveying the disease to other labor
ers. Another striking fact is that there are very
different diseases in appearance that are called
~leprOsy, and yet there has not been found a case
which answers to the description of leprosy in the
medical works, and there are skillful physicians
among us who say that there is no leprosy in the
islands. 1t is the opinion of some that we have
spoken with that the cutaneous affections which
have been called by the name are various modif-
cations Of syphilis or scrofula, which although
difficult of cure, OF incurable, are by no means
dangerous TO life, and although spreading some
what among the natives, cannot be checked in the
way proposed-by separation from the rest of the
world.
BE this as it may, are there not great obiec-
tions to the proposed plan? Grant that the dis
ease is leprosy, and that it is contagious and in
fictitious, and that they are all to be placed on the
island of Molokai. The first thing to be done is
TO find the infected persons. This in cases where
the eruption is on the face may perhaps be de-
tected, and 4 few hundred cases be recognized,
but q multitude of other cases will be concealed,
and will remain 10 propagate the disease IN the
neighborhood. Hundreds of cases have travelled
over the islands and left the seeds everywhere
among the people to break out anew in due time
in sufficient numbers to people the whole Of Molo-
kai, it is reasonable to suppose very much to the
annoyance of His Alaiesty's subjects who have
settled upon that island. After being once col
lected according TO the third section of the Act
as follows
"sgcTToS 3. The Board OF Health or i,s agents are author
lid and empowered to cause 10 be isolated and confined IN some
place or places Tor that purpose provided, al eprous patents
who shall be deemed capable Of spreading the disease OF leprosy,
Tr"reriy applied 20 for that purpose by the Board Of Health, or
It's authorized agents. to cause to he arrested and delivered to the
Board Of Health or its agents. any person alleged to be a leper,
within the jurisdiction OF such Police or Distriet Justice and
it shall hS the duty Of the Marshal Of the Hawaiian Islands and
his Deputies, and 81 the Police officers, 70 assist in securing the
conveyance % any person so arrested. 10 such place a. the Board
OF Health or its agents may direct. in order that such person
may be SUBJECTED to MEDICAL inspection, and thereafter to assi.;
in removing such person 70 a place Of treatment. OF isolation, II
so required by the agents. Of the Board Of Health
What next? If sent to Molokai, what captain
and crew can the Marshal and his deputies engage
to take them there? The leprosy is not like the
smallpox, measles, whoOping cough, mumps,
scarlet fever and other contagious diseases that,
on entering the human system, pass through a
regular course and leave the patient out of danger
from another attack. And if the disease is con-
tagious, what justice would there he in compel
ling a captain and crew 10 take them on board?
Suppose, however, that there is a power in the
Government sufficient to collect together all cases
of this disease, compelling them to leave their
homes, families and their e~mployments. no matter
under what contract to labor, and 20 to Molokai,
the question arises, will they remain there, or
will they have to be guarded, lest in some evil
hour they should steal away TO other parts of the
island and infect the whole? 1t is very well
known that it is not the nature of the natives to
sit still in one place, they are to the contrary
continually on the move.
Let US suppose there are FIVE hundred of these
people, Il reasonable estimate for the present
time. to be taken to Molokai. How are they to
live? All the families broken up, are the men
and women To be thrown together or separated?
If the former, n much worse state of affairs will
be produced. and greater results follow than now
exist ; if the latter, a most vigilant guard Will be
- o.rocioIl- NJ NIGHT rasijaDt rbvSi-