The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1879-10-29
ia WAfIAN GAZETTE
EDITED AND PUBLISHED BY
T. CRAWFORD MACDOWELL.
WEDNESDAY,. OCT. 29. 1879.
The Prevalence of Typhoid Fever.

ne VI PnOAa y CNCEs
1t is q fact not to be denied that typhoid
fever is prevailing TO an alarming extent in
this city at present, and that quite a number
Of fatal cases have occurred within the past
week and at this present writing there are
great number of cases under treatment 1t is
not to be wondered at that this state of things
ease may become an epidemic, and many and
various are the suggestions as to the cause OF
the breaking out of the fever. 1t will he
remembered that more than year ago the
GAZETTE pointed ont the fact to the Board of
Health, that inasmuch as there was no sewer
age provided in this city to carry off the effete
matter, and the prevalence of noisome privy
vaults in the city, if no remedy was applied
such as we then suggested, we would have
typhoid fever as o natural and necessary con-
sequence of this culpable neglect of a sanitary
precaution against disease. There was no at
tention paid TO the warning, and how we have
the disease upon us decimating families, and
robing the citizens in mourning for the loss of
dearly beloved ones who have fallen victims
to the fell destroyer-death. We feel now as
we did year ago, and revert TO the subject
again to arouse the sleepy senses of the Board
of Health if we can.
A large amount of money has been spent by
the Government the present year in the en-
largement of the water works, and distribu-
ting pure water to all parts of the city. This
is all right and meets with the full commen-
dation of our citizens, and we can only regret
that like energy and public spirit has not
been manifested in the completion of thorough
system of sewerage, and the entire demolition
Of every noisome privy vault and other source
of disease in the city. Money spent for such
purposes would be well spent, and the Board
of Health that shall commence and complete
this much needed work will be held in the
most grateful remembrance, for being real
benefactors of the people. If the Board of
Health has not the power to do this work, the
Minister of the Interior, who by the way is
ex-oficio President of that Board, has the
power to do great deal towards the reforms
alluded to. There is no subject that should
claim the attention of that official more than
the Que suggested, and we hope he will set
about doing something, and that right soon.
1t is the opinion of many intelligent persons in
this city that there are too many trees in it,
and that it might be we'll to thin them out so
as TO afford sunlight and pure air into every
household. In this opinion we fully coincide.
Much more might be said on this important
subject just at this time, but we forbear 1t
is enough to reflect that our worst forebodings
one year ago have been unhappily realized,
and the dreaded consequences of neglect of
stern duty, have been followed by the conse-
quenees we predicted. We hope even now, the
hints which we have thrown out may not be
passed by with the noRchdldacs with which
our former suggestions were treated. We feel it
a duty to agitate these matters, because the in
terests, aye, the health and lives of the people
demand it. The health of the people of a city
of thirteen thousand inhabitants is not to be
trifed with by any man, or body of men, no
matter who they are, or rather, who they think
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