The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1868-12-30

I
ton to the case, and acted with all the
prudence that their light gave them. 1t
may be that other gentlemen have more
knowledge and experience. and could act
with more discretion /; ytr hen any one
proposes to petition for tier removal and
Others substituted in their places, it would
seem to be forgotten that they serve with
out emolument, and it might be well to
ask who would desire to be placed in their
situation for the same reward.
If the smallpox comes to us, it will not
come in the manner which has caused so
much excitement. 1t takes from ten to
fourteen days for the disease to develop
itself from infection, though by inocula-
ton it will develop itself in much less
time. Consequently any one may leave
San Francisco infected with the smallpox,
and the poison may not develop itself until
he has landed here.
The ship Reynnd, which shipped a
number Of native laborers here, had seve-
raj of them taken down with the disease
about one month after her departure from
this port, she having left on the 18th of
August, and the two deaths which occur
red among the FIVE struck down happened
on the Dist and 22d of September They
certainly had not taken it here, and it is
equally certain they had taken it on board
the ship, although no person was i'll or had
been i'll on board subsequent to the depar-
ture of the vessel from San Francisco.
They undoubtedly took it from contact
with clothing or bedding which had been
infected in that port. The present case
is another example The man did not
show the disease until he had been out
some four days, when he began to CON-
plain of feverish symptoms-that is. seven
days before he arrived in port--yet, he says,
he must have taken it in a boarding house
where he was living, and where two of the
inmates died of the disease. The disease
does not become very dangerous until the
suppurative stage, and the patient ON
board the Idaho had not reached that
period. He was three days past the first
fever. Now, we will leave out of view the
Inconvenience to the commerce of the port,
as unworthy TO be weighed as against the
health or safety of the community-though
we may pause to say, that if the ship had
been strictly quarantined great deal
would have been said on that head from
the professional grumblers, who are con-
stantly on the look out to ask why some
thing else was not done, than that which
was done.-and will confne ourselves to
the chances of contagion as they appear
to prudent, competent and skillful men,
both professional and non-professional.
The patient had not reached the stage in
which it was probable that he could pro-
pagate the disease. If the ship had been
put in strict quarantine, and every one
confined on board, the passengers and
crew would have been subjected to much
greater risk of having the disease to run
amongst them,-poisoning all their cloth
ing, perhaps the cargo, subjecting her to
indefinite quarantine, as each recurring
case should be developed. We all know
the extreme difficulty of maintaining a
strict quarantine, more especially at q
small distance from the shore In view of
these things, after due consideration and
in full view of their responsibilities, the
Board of Health-a membership in which
brings no reward, but much trouble and,
as itappears. reproach,-concluded to take
the precautions which are ordinarily taken
at other ports in similar cases.
If the smallpox arrives among us.-and
there is very little doubt but that it will
it will arrive in clothing as above describ-
ed, in like manner as it did before. In
the meantime, we are much better pre-
pared TO meet it, and this very case will
undoubtedly put our people more on their
guard and compel them to take further
precautions. Something was said at the
meeting, to the effect, that the cabin pas
sengers we're allowed to come ashore be-
cause they were rich, and the steerage
to remain in quarantine because they were
poor Such remarks were probably made
under excitement. No one knows wheth-
er the cabin passengers are rich or poor,
and it would certainly make very little diff
ference to any member Of the Board. The
difference was made in the interest of the
public, because the passengers in the fore
part of the ship had. or were supposed to
have had, more communication with the
sick man than those in the other part of
the ship.
In conclusion then, the smallpox, if it
comes at all, and it is very probable that
it will come, will come like a. thief in the
night. The only sure safe guard is for
parents to have their children yaccinated;
this is their duty, and this is sure pro-
lection. Let every one look to himself
and his children, and every one will most