The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1880-01-10
Hnxnrr1r- Ism. 9Th 1850

MR- EDITOR You have often spoken Of the sani-
tary condition Of Honolulu, and you have spoken
well. There is no doubt that cleanliness, sunlight
and good water are important conditions Of health,
and that these conditions should be improved in
Honolulu.
But a residence and observations Of forty-three
years do rot satisfy me that the present condition Of
our city in these respects, as compared with my
knowledge Of the past, sufficiently accounts for the
widespread existence for some time past OF the pre-
vailing fever. which also prevails elsewhere to some
extent where none of these conditions exist. Rev.
Mr.. Bond, for nearly forty years q resident Of ko-
hala and the Protestant missionary Of that district,
whose residence is isolated and high, and the con-
ditions Of neatness and good water have never seen
excelled, and the trees and shade Of which are no
more than IN times past, has had this fever in his
own family, and be writes me that 1t has prevailed
throughout the district. In his church of 400 men,
bers, the average mortality has for years past been
tlrsHfy for the last year it has been forty. One
hundred per cent more than the average Of the
years past. Mr.. Bond says, a. They call it malaria.
How the malaria can exist over these breezy hills l
cannot understand
A few years ago a fever quite fatal among Hawai-
ians prevailed in the Makawao and Hamakua dis
tricts Of Maui. 1t could not be accounted for by the
presence Of any new or different conditions of the
district from those usually existing.
DIR. Hutehison and the late Rev. ]. S. Green both
testified that scarcely q fatal or severe case occurred
amongst plantation laborers or those having regular
employment and reasonable comforts. The earliest
cases amongst foreigners in Honolulu that attracted
my attention were in 1S49. They were few, but pro-
tracted and prostrating, and in local conditions
eminently favorable TO health. This was before
water was distributed through the town and well
water was chiefly in use and Honolulu was almost q
treeless plain. Uniform health had prevailed in the
families where these attacks occurred for more than
q score of years. | do not call to mind any notable
recurrence Of feyers till 1852, when a vessel bound
from Panama to San Francisco put into Lahaina IN
distress, having many cases Of Panama fever on
board, and soon after 1t broke out at Lahalna and
3 80 B,or, ne kha Mani fouar Il pnvaaH Ia Honoln
lu, and perhaps elsewhere was not generally of a
dangerous type, and afterward obtained the name OF
a. boohoo fever"
At this period 1 was absent in the United States
but on my return in December of that year had a
mild attack of it, and the above was the account !
heard of its introduction. Most Of the years since.
there has been more or less fever in Honolulu, and
with a gradually increasing severity.
DR.. VIM. Hillebrand, both a scientist and good
practical physician, we'll known and honored here,
said that some attributed the increase of fevers to the
increase of trees, which might be true TO some eTtent,
but he regarded it quite inadequate as a cause.
Since this time tree culture has greatly increased,
and so have the extent and severity of the fevers
and though it now exists where it did not, and where
the conditions existing in Honolulu and supposed tc
act there as a generating cause are wanting, yei
there is little doubt that here these causes do act il
aid of others unknown to US, and no pains should be
spared to remove them. Miss Green, in your last
issue, spoke of the successful use in her school o.
steam baths from boiled Eucalyptus leaves, and l an
reminded of an account that the French authorize:
of Algeria broke up the fevers of a very pestilentia
district and rendered it healthy by the cultivation o
the Eucalyptus tree, and | have seen other accounts
of a similar character. There can be no doubt o
the healthful influence of the Eucalyptus, and
think the Board of Health would not only be justified
by the Legislature in using stringent measures Il
promote cleanliness, tut in requiring a thinning GU
and trimming up of the trees and planting the Eucal
yptus in different localities for sanitary purposes.
This is one of the exigencies in which the law
give to the Privy Council special power to take thu
necessary action without awaiting the preceden
action of the Legislature.
Yours respectfully, S. N. CASTLE.