The Hawaiian gazette., 1868-05-13
REPORT
of the Board Of Health TO the Legistatir
Ases-,JTy If 1888

]
/ Assembly Of 1858.
MOBILES AND REPRESENTATIVES, requir-
ed by the " Act of the Legislature passed on
I the I'd day Of january, 1865, the following
report is respectfully presented to the Legisla-
/ tive Assembly on the part of the Board of
Health.
The duties imposed by the above Act. were
Of the most onerous and delicate kind, and
/ the Board could not hope TO perform them
with fidelity and success, without encounter
/ ing many difficulties. But the obstacles actu-
ally met with, have exceeded even the antici-
pations of the Board. They were caused,
partly. by the Lepers themselves partly by
/ the apathy and want of cooperation on the
part Of the public, and partly by The made
I ouacy of the appropriation which bad been
applied for by the Board, and granted by the
| last Legislature. The insufficiency of the fund
] was soon discovered, and the strictest econo-
nv, and the most rigid supervision of the ex-
penses became necessary. nearly $4,000 hav-
| ing been expended in the first six months Of
the biennial period, expiring March 3lst Of
the year 1858.
One of the greatest difficulties experienced
| by the Board has been the lack of means of
| transportation. This has pressed most heavi-
! " during the last few months. Indeed, there
is now. and there has been for some time. an
entire absence of such means of transport.
The schooner Wdrciek purchased, but in
October 1866, extensive repairs were needed,
and as the cost would have amounted 20 a lar
ger sum than the Board felt at liberty to ex-
pend the vessel was sold. This want of means
of transport was partially supplied through
the kindness of Mr.. James Dowsett, who car
RED the patients of the Board whenever he
could conveniently spare one of his small
schooners. But this resource has lately been
cut off in consequence of the representations
of parties who are accustomed to use his yes
sells. They instructed their agents not to ship
freight by him, account of the Lepers
being carried by his schooners. A small YES
sci must therefore be purchased and held by
the Board for some time, if the several dis
tricts and islands are to be purged Of this ter
rible disease.
Again, when the lands were purchased on
MOlokai, it was confidently expected that the
first outlay there, would be the principal one
required, and that the valley of Waikolu, and
surrounding lands, than which no richer can
can be found throughout this group, would be
cheerfully cultivated by the strongest OF the
Lepers. and that, except for clothes and per-
haps some animal food, the resources at the
disposal of the Board would not be subjected
to a regular and constant drain. But great
disappointment was soon experienced in this
respect the terrible disease which afflicts the
Lepers seems to. cause among them al great a
change in their moral and mental organization
as in their physical constitution so far from
aiding their weaker brethren, the strong took
possession of everything, devoured and des-
troyed the large quantity of food ouNthe lands,
and altogether refused TO replant anything;
indeed, they had no conjunction in taking
from those who were disabled and dying, the
material supplies of clothes and food which
4 ~. e. IL.
use of the latter; they exhibited the most
thorough Indifference to the sufferings, and
the most utter absence of consideration for the
wants. to which many Of them we're destined
to be themselves exposed in perhaps few
weeks in fact. most of those in whom the
disease had progressed considerably, showed
the greatest thoughtlessness and heartlessness.
The Superintendent, therefore, in the month
of September, 1866, informed the Board, tn its
great surprise, that supplies must be sent for
the future from Honolulu, as the settlement
would be able to produce but little from that
time forth. This state of things, which it
was hoped for some time might be changed,
has been found irremediable, and the Legisla-
ture must be asked to supply absolutely, for
the future, all the wants of these people.
Such state Of things is to be regretted, but
inasmueh as the Lepers are deprived by the
law of the ordinary rights of citizens, and as
a restraint is placed upon their liberty for the
gOodsof the community at large. that commu-
nifty ineurs responsibility, which, with its ae-
companying burdens, must be honorably and
cheerfully accepted. 1t is hoped that in few
months, it will not be necessary to send ordi-
nary provisions from Honolulu, as the Board
has lately removed all the Lepers from the
Walk lu valley, where the kalO lands are sit
uated. and leased those lands ON the conui-
ton that the necessary supplies Of kalo and
pal al are furnished to the order Of the Super
intendent Of the settlement. A supply of pal
al. averaging about $50 lbs. per diem, has been
obtained from the settlement and adjacent val
leys for the last six months, and it is hoped
that a larger quantity may be obtained in the
coming summer months, in which case, the
supplies needed from Honolulu will be very
materially lessened. In justice, moreover, to
the Lepers, it must be recorded, that sweet po-
tatoes and other vegetables in considerable
quantities have been planted by them, but as
the late stormy winds and cold rains have de-
stroyed most of the plants and vines, very lit |
tie food will be derived from this source I; it
must also be observed, that those who plant
consider themselves entitled to the same ordi- |
nary supplies as those who do not, and it is |
difficult to perceive the injustice of this claim.
Again, one of the symptoms of this disease is, |
an extraordinary increase Of appetite, a great
voracity, and constant longing for food the |
quantity each patient will devour if left to
himself is incredible to those who have not |
witnessed it this craving never appears to be |
satisfied, and in two or three instances, when |
opportunities of gorging the stomach with ami |
NAL food have presented themselves, death in |
a faw hours has been the result.
In connection with this question of the food |
supply in Molokai, it should be remarked that /
letters were published in Honolulu or about
January, 1867, rejecting severely on the Board |
for its alleged want of care of the Molokai set
Element, and distinctly charging it with inhu-
manity in allowing the unfortunate people sent |
there to perish from starvation and want of |
the ordinary neeessaries Of life. Upon this,
at the request of the Board, its President took |
the first opportunity of visiting the settlement.
He called at every house, and had communi-
cation with every o3e of the patients, who all |
denied absolutely having made any such state
ments OF complaints were attributed to
them they stated indeed, that they had some
pilikias. that they would like to have more
food allowed them, and that they wished to
kill the cattle belonging to the Board, which
they understood had been sent for their use
but as a general thing, they were satisfied
with what had been done for them, and with
Mr.. Lepart, their superintendent. So far from
being in the miserable condition described in
these letters, most of them looked we'll and
stout, compared with their appearance when
first entrusted to the care of the Board. The
peculiar and frightful nature Of the disease
might easily mislead nop-medical men, who
carefully avoid contact with the subjects Of it,
OF even medical men who had had no previous
experience of it. But while the parties who
i A. IL L. Al Al