The Hawaiian gazette., 1868-05-13

to have general supervision OF the sick and
entire charge of all children. These duties
they have performed 10 the complete satisfac-
;iOn of the Board and inasmuch as Mr.. Lee
part requested in October last to resign the
post of general superintendent of the settle
ment, the whole supervision has now been
placed in the hands Of Mr.. and Mrs. Welsh.
As may easily be imagined, one 5f the most
serious troubles on Molokai, both for the Board
and Manager. has been the difficulty of main
tanning order. Drunkenness. pilferings, i'm
morality, and general INSTRUMENTATION were
very prevalent; ki-root beer was manufactured
and drunk in large quantities and great orgies
took place But the Board is happy TO report
that for the last few months very different
state Of things has existed. Drunkenness
and INSTRUMENTATION have almost entirely dis
appeared, and it is to be hoped that further
experience in the management will tend 20 de-
velop system well calculated to produce a
good and desirable result. The change has
mainly been brought about by the appoint
ment of Mr.. Walsh as Magistrate for the Pen
ipsula; by this means he is enabled to keep
the residents under control. 1t has been fur
Their assisted by making constables Of the hus-
bands of diseased women. These men, in re-
turn for their services, are allowed, at their
own request, to reside with their wives, rations
and clothing being issued TO them in the same
quantities and at the same times as to the Lep-
ers themselves.
In addition to the hospital, comfortable
house has been erected for Mr.. and Mrs.
Walsh, as also a schOol-house for the children,
aud separate sleeping apartments for the boys
and girls. All these buildings, including the
hospital, are enclosed within one fence. and
are under the exclusive care of the Superin-
tendant and Nurse.
Each n,aaf hos haar nrovi1ad for tba ,,sa of
the settlement for several months past, by
supplies of sheep, forwarded from time to
time. The health Of the patients has been by
this means much improved, and the expenses
at the same time considerably essened.
1t will be necessary to erect new houses on
Molokai for the accommodation of the Lepers
who have been sent there. and, from past ex-
perience, it is thought advisable to build them
in substantial manner, Of wood, after the
Kalihi pattern, with more or fewer partitions,
as may be required.
A serious cause of embarrassment has been
the separation of families. In some cases this
has produced no feeling whatever in the par
ties interested; sometimes indeed the separa-
ton is felt to be relief; in other cases. it has
been regarded as II grea. grievance, and in
consequence. many Lepers are carefully con-
cealed from the knowledge of the Board.
There have been two runaways from Kalihi,
and all enquiries have failed to elicit the places
of their cOncealment. Whenever wives, hus-
bands, or parents have expressed a desire to
accompany their relations, the Board has not
considered that it would be justified in refus-
ing the application it would seem right how
ever, that some provision should be made by
law for the support of those children of Lep-
ers who have no>friends willing to take charge
of them. 1t is also worthy of the considera-
tion of the Legislature. whether divorces should
not be granted to the wife or husband of
Leper, if the said Lepcr has been certified as
having the disease-whether, in fact, the par
ty afflicted should not be regarded by the
courts as "eivilly dead"
KALIHI HOSPITAL
Has been supervised by the Physician, DR..
Hoffman, to the entire satisfaction of the
Board, and no complaint has been made by
the unfortunate people who are confined there.
BY reference to the Act" of 1865, section
4, it win be seen that the Board was author
lied to establish al hospital for the treatment
of Lepers in the incipient stages of the disease,
to attempt cure, &C." Although, perhaps
not bound to continue such hospital under
that provision, the Board did not consider
itself justified in abolishing the Kalihi estab-
lishment until the present Legislature should
have an opportunity of expressing an opinion
on the subject. There is an idea in many
minds that the disease in its early stages is Gu
rable, and this impression no doubt caused the
insertion of the above clause in the statute.
But the board is decidedly of opinion that the
hospital at Kalihi should be abolished or if
kept open for a time, that it should only be
for doubtful cases that every person recog-
nized as certainly having the disease in any
form or stage whatever, should be immediate
a. 81.
the other hand, an opinion has been express
ed that the latter establishment should be abol-
ished, and the patients brought to Honolulu.
1t is thought, however, that enquiry will
remove that idea but should such be the
decision Of the Legislature, it will materially
relieve the different members of the Board of
much trouble and anxiety. Inasmuch howev--
er, as the only Justification for taking posses
sion of these. people, and depriving them of
their personal liberty, is the attempt to ex-
terminate the disease, complete and absolute
isolation should be recognized as necessary.
Is the Disease Contogiousf Although there
is high authority in other countries to the con-
trary, the Board believes that it may pro-
nounce positive opinion in the affirmative,
and it is believed that that opinion will be up
held by every physieisn on the islands who
has had experience Of the disease but it can
hardly be determined exactly under what con-
ditions the cOntagion takes place it does not
appear to be very active; and probably under
ordinary circumstances) it does not occlr in
the early stages of the disease; but in the
form, the danger is great. By refer
ence to the returns from Kalihi, it will be seen
that the male sex are more liable to the disease
than the female, and experience shows that
the latter communicate the disease much more
readily than the former. 1t may be worth
al. a L n i i II
last STAGES of leprosy, who has wife appar-
emily healthy this woman has had two hus-
bands, who have both shown the disease after
their marriage to her. There can be no doubt
that the disease is inherited in some cases, but
it does not show itself until after the sixth
year after birth.
Is Il CWobief-To this question, we are con.
strained 10 answer MOI" at least, under any
known treatment. This has been the expert |
ence of all countries and ages to the present
time, and it would seem desirable that epiyns
patients should understand this; it is cruel to |
hold out hopes that can never be realized. |
Cures have been reported which seemed real, |
but they have no doubt been cases of other |
diseases, difficult to discriminate from leprosy |
in the first stages of their appearance, Medi- |
cine and Hygiene will ameliorate the condi- |
ton Of the victims for time. especially when |
irst used but soon the poison begins to make |
fresh way and despite what is done, the newt /
able result will occur, viz: premature death. |
The duration Of the disease varies much in |
some cases, the operation of the disease goes
On for many years; in others, it runs its course
very quickly. The following is the ascertain |
ID duration in III individuals.
Of Is years standing. .......-......2c cases.
IA ................3 "
ID =" =" ................2 e"
IL ................7 A."
10 " ................9 d"