The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-01-09

Mr.. EDIToR-On the evening of the Dist ult, the
steamer Idaho arrived off the port, having a well
defined" case of smallpox on board. The pilot who
went off to her, on learning that she had the disease
on board, instead of coming directly on shore and
reporting the case to the health officer, as he should
have done according to law, went on board the steam
or with a whole or n part of his boats crew and
anchored her, and then came ON shore, after having
exposed himself and boats crew to infection. (This
action Of the pilot should not meet with severe GEN.
sure, not even If his act of going on board the
steamer has been the cause Of spreading the small
pox throughout the country, because he undoubtedly
did it through ignorance of his duty, which in a Ha-
waiian official should always be excusable.) The
Captain, Purser and cabin passengenrs came on shore,
and the Storage passengers and smallpox patient
were kept on board for four days, because the Board
of Health, who knew that the smallpox had been
raging in n most virulent form in San Francisco for
several months, and that nearly every week vessels
were arriving here with passengers from that port,
had not made the least preparation to take care of
cases of the disease which in all probability would
be brought to this port.
The Board of Health have acted in n careless man
ner, and have by their action exposed the people of
this city aud kingdom to the ravages of a disease
which, from an experience as terrible as any people
have ever had, llawaiians have cause to fear. The
Board of Health has not attempted to defend its ac-
ton, except by a sort of evasion of the question, and
the puerile excuse that people have no right to COM
plain because the members do their work gratuitously.
The one who first suggested such an excuse, and
those who have taken it up, should, if they reflect, be
thoroughly ashamed Of such a paltry and miserable
excuse.
Some eXultant friends of the Board of Health in
IL. .--g ~ A.. nL.. IL.
public upon the efficacy of the precautions of the
Board, as evinced by the fact that the time has pass
ell when the disease should show itself, and that all
danger has ~passed-when, 10 this morning one of
the cabin passengers of the Haho walks through our
public streets with n . well defned'' case of vario-
loid /! No case of smallpox or varioloid has yet APP
pearel among the Storage passengers of the Idaho,
although they were placed in quarantine, together
aiM a Chinese lroman pho had been placed in the
same room with the smallpox patient on board the
Idaho, during the several days he had been known to
have the disease ON board that vessel, and 1 believe
the steerage passengers are relieved from quarantine
and are ut large in town.
| am not disposed to add a single thing in condem-
nation of the members ofthe Board ofHealth, but only
point to the facts which have developed themselves, to
prove that their action in the case of the quarantine
of the Idaho was entirely insufficient for the protec-
ton of the inhabitants OF this country against n hor-
rible aud loathsome disease. So far as the precautions
taken by these were concerned, they might as well
have permitted the smallpox patient to have come on
shore and walk through our streets, as to have done
what they did 10. And L assert, what you have as
serted before, that the action of the Board of Health
was grossly dangerous to the safety of the people
that their want of precaution in not having a
suitable place in readiness to receive smallpox pa
tients, was a piece of gross carelessness, entirely in
excusable, which %iustifies the public in holding them
responsible for the consequences of their neglect
HORACE.
HONOLULU. January 7th, 1869.