The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-04-26

do it-yOur bump of obstinacy is too prominent.
Why does not M" and the bypocritical self
righteous clan to whom be belongs, do something to
." mitigate the social evils of which he complaints
Why do they send money to Japan and other coun-
tries for the benefit of outside barbarians when it is
so much needed at home. The foreign mission fund
-or ut least u portion of it has been used in this
way, and probably NJ" can answer why it was not
expended here. What have his clan done to arrest
the social evils of these islands, When have they
aided the offices of justice? Shame upon such can't
ing hypocricy, KAMAAINA.
To the Editor Of The Pacific Commercial Advertiser:
DEAR SIR Il feel a deep sympathy for suffering
humanity, especially for the abandoned in this our
Island Kingdom and none Of our citizens can pos
sibly be otherwise than DESTROYS to mitigate or eradi-
cate the ~blighting destroyer of homes, associations,
communities, and shall l not add, the Hawaiian race
also. The word Leprosy INTRODUCES at once a subject
full of horror to the already terror-stricken native.
To tell them that it is a cutaneous or tubercular
disease of the skin, (and medical men have assigned
appropriate names as psorissis, lepra, leprosy, syphi-
lis, and various other names, giving an accurate
diagnosis of each),-win this suffice, and give the
desired aid? No! 1t is evident hereditary disease do
not naturally and necessarily attend the human
"ENNNJ EHfs HNSB SJPhH"S ENNNOs
govt, &C., spring out of certain practices they
were all acquired, and can they not be eradicatedH
The true causes of cutaneous disease arc cold, I'M
cleanliness, improper food, &C., &c.
Facts and figures before me, from men too, the
most celebrated in the medical profession in Europe,
enumerate case after case that has been cured Of
lepra, psorissis, elephantiasis, ~impetigo. leprosy, and
others designated by their locality, peculiar color,
scalpS and fornctiOn unon different porfa 0f the
human structure Hope for the alienation of the
hundreds of natives upon these islands would be lost
in chaos if there were no truth in the statement Of
such men.
l would, through your columns, ask If oil the ma
tiVes sent to Molokai are lepers?
The question is one of grave Importance. l ask it
in good faith. My sole object is q desire to see a
change for the better among the so-called lepers Of
these islands. Seven years ago 1 practiced medicine
in Honolulu, and among the hundreds Of natives
who came and received treatment there were many
that had the well-defned blotches, numbness, rup-
tured cuticle, scabby and scaly, marks known as the
disease Of the present day. My practice was of
seven months duration, and during that time some
six or more of the above described patients were TO
oil appearance completely cured, without one trace
of their former complaint being left. Others Of the
same type were under treatment, when the powers
that were saw fit to cut short a successful work
which none of them could do. From that time to
the present, L have been a silent spectator. L have
taken no part either publicly or in private in treat
ing the many that have applied to me for aid.
Combining the testimony of others with my own
experience proves its durability beyond a doubt in
my own mind. Much praise is due to His Majesty
the King and officers of the Government, in provid-
ing a home, food and clothing for five or six hundred
human beings collected from the different islands Of
the Kingdom and r~eshipped to their final home On
Molokai. The presumption is, that all of them have
o tubercular or skin disease, under different names
and different forms, from the infant to the aged. Is
there physically no difference, constitutionnlly, 10
caly, hereditary, by vaccination or contagion2 Or
is it enough that these five hundred banished I'M
clean and communicating objects of charity are fed
and clothed by the fostering care of the Government,
until death with his icy hand removes the recipient
from the hand of the donorH The answer, No is
too insignificant a word of expression. Just think
of it, and the possibility Of one out Of every ten of
that number being cured, if under proper treat
ment but instead of that those poor creatures are
left without the aid of a medical adviser to admins
ter to and alleviate their suffering condition. The
felon in his cell, if sick, is not denied this favor.
Who that has but one spark Of love for his family or
friends can wonder that so many ingeniously seek to
evadc the pursuit of officers to bring them before
that functionary of the Government on whose lips
hang their final destiny. The word Leper and Mo-
lokai have become synonymous terms, knowing that
from its precincts there is no return.
Extend to them a well grounded hope it will do
much to remove the dark pail Of settled gloom rest
ing so heavily upon their mental and physical exist
ence, and which is sending them to premature
graves. Supposing it impossible for one cure to be-
made out Of the hundreds that are in the colony
would that be q sufficient reason for not granting
them medical aid7 Or does the disease itself pre-
cIude all other ills that flesh is heir TOT Or is it true
that medical men are a necessary appendage to civil
ization only, while our ~plethoric charity denies the
need of a medical attendant upon those that are vir-
tually looked upon as dead? eve differ from them
in that we are liable to die). Shall not the voice of
the Hawaiian race sinking into oblivion, implore His
Majesty the King and Council to extend their inves-
tigation beyond what has been done for those who
are already q public charge?
Hundreds more may be added to the charnel-
house of lepers ere twelve months pass away. Shall
the record of q nations history be a monument of
bleached bones and orbless skulls, the victims of
legal power? No! the pulsation of the public heart
is one Of confidence in our Sovereign, our ministers
and legislators. that they will take immediate action
in behalf Of the hundreds suffering the consciousness
of their pending doom. The requisite to meet the
emergency is unity of action. 1t cannot be said
that an additional number of legal practitioners in
medicine are needed in the Kingdom to supply the
demand Of the colony on Molokai. The appeal is
that of suffering, dying humanity,-Come over and
help US mot into Macedonia, but to Molokai.
HSnolulu, April 22d. 1879. B. II. Lyon.