The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-10-25

hA-tuFD q reurruleut. and the hours
TWENTY-FIVE years ago there was no place on
the face Of the globe that had a better or more
well-deserved reputation for the ~salubrity Of its
climate than Honolulu. Sickness was almost
unknown-except where diseases and epidemics
were introduced from abroad and in those cases,
to be found in every country, in which people by
their course Of life bring sickness upon them
selves But during the last ten years it is very
evident that this salutary state of the public
health has undergone a change for the worse.
There Is no use or wisdom in concealing the fact;
1t Is wiser to state it frankly, and by discussion
endeavor 70 ascertain the cause or causes of the
change so apparent, if baply we may discover a
remedy Years ago. and in successive years. this
journal warned our government and people Of the
gradual but sure approach of insalubrity Of the
climate Of this city, from causes then mentioned ;
but the warnings were quite UNDECIDED and re-
garded as the groundless fears Of a visionary.
But now, when it is acknowledged that slow
levers, that have puzzled physicians to typify,
nave prevailed and increased every succeeding
summer that the ordinary simple disease Of
measles has here assumed an abnormal type and
that last but worst Of all we have the dreaded
typhoid fever here, with its long weeks of e-
h%austion, weak pulse, ~lothargy and drowsiness,
not Infrequently resulting in death when these
facts have become IncOntrovertible our people
are beginning to look about and inquire what. if
anything, can be done to restore the city to its
former healthy condition.
OF course, opinions are very diverse as to the
causes underlying the present admitted tendency
TO disease in the city. The latest idea we have
heard expressed was to the effect that the enter
prise recently commenced of sprinkling the streets
for the purpose Of laying the dust was the cause
OF the prevailing sickness. To this the sufficient
answer may be made that the sickness COM
planned Of commenced long before the water carts
were built, and moreover that the localities
where the typhoid has appeared are not visited
by those carts.
Others again point to the great increase in late
years Of trees and shrubbery in the city, in many
localities almost entirely shutting out the SAM
tary influences of the sun and wind. There is
undoubtedly much to be considered on this point;
but we apprehend that the causes that are being
sought for will be found in several directions.
which we will here mention, promising that we
are but repeating, in brief, some of our state
ments in former issues of this journal, during the
past six or eight years.
= AH7b- we cOnsluer tnat the greater part OF
the miasma that burdens the air of Honolulu
whenever there is a cessation of the strong trade
winds, (Which Of late years has been very often)
is due to the want Of any sewerage whatever in
the city. Privy vaults and cess-pools are seldom
or never cleaned out, but when filed and no
longer available for use, are covered with a little
earth and suffered to lie and tester, the gases
generated by the tropical climate continuing to
poison the air. We must, if we would live, find
a remedy for this. 1t has been suggested that a
grand system of sewage pipes leading to the bar
Dor, should be authorized by a Legislative appro-
%priation, to carry off these deposits. But such a
plan, properly carried out, would require a very
large expenditure of money, and could only be
seriously considered until after a preliminary sur
yey and estimates had been made by a properly
qualified engineer. We beg to suggest a plan
that is quite simple, economical and easily carried
into effect-that of substituting earth closets for
the vaults now in general use. Let the existence
of privy vaults be forbidden by law within GER
tain limits of the city-and the law might be
made to apply to some other towns in the King
dom, which like this, are rapidly filling up with
nhabitants-and the construction Of earth closets
be made compulsory on householders. At
stated intervals and at suitable seasons let govern
ment prisoners with carts remove the accumu-
lated deposits, to be disposed of as may be judged
best-either outside the reef or to be economised
as manure for lands. 1t may be remembered
that in China and Japan, and of late years in
Europe and America, this species of manure is
highly valued by agriculturists for its fertilizing
qualities.
Second. We are confident it will be found
that the water supply of Honolulu, which comes
through the government pipes, will on close ex-
animation be proved to be more or less impure
and unfit for drinking purposes. When the main
pipes were first laid down Nuuanu aver
remember being told hv - wa