The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1881-09-10

THERE is some discussion about the
segregation of lepers. There are now about
500 lepers confined at the hospital and
settlement of Kalawao, on Molokai, and
there is only one physician, unprovided
with any adequate hospital outfit, to attend
to this multitude of u~nfortunates. The
Board of Health still does little more than
collect, corral, and feed the u~nfortunates.
But the late Legislative Assembly pro-
vided 10000 for the erection of several
branch hospitals in different islands, having
in view according to the discussion at the
time, TO supply means for the local care Of
sick people, and 10 provide facilities and
appliances to nab physicians Of different
districts to treat incipient leprosy and
other ailments near the home Of the
patient.
The attempt TO remove lepers, or sus-
pected lepers, from their homes OH the
several islands TO Molokai has been re-
sisted with violence by native Hawalians
in several instances. And if he patients
were generally foreigners, the resistance
would be greater and more dangerous.
The authorities of Norway, who have
leprosy to deal with, nave acted with great
precaution and consideration. They have
isolated all they could at a public hospital
but they ave permitted numbers OF
| patients to be cared for under medical sur
| veillance at their own homes. Many of
the medical faculty still doubt the con-
tagiousness OF leprosy, or deem it only con-
/ tagious like consumption, under continued
| close and intimate association. The meas
ure of branch hospitals should be tried.
The people earnestly prayed their repre-
sentatives to provide for such establish
ments, which they did. His Excellency
the Minister of the Interior, Mr.. Carter,
has the control of a fund for such establish
NEWSSTAND he will earn lasting gratitude
by ordering their construction. With
branch hospitals OH Hawaii, Maui, and
Kauai, the sick of these islands--aud lepers
especially-ean be induced TO go To the
hospital in their vicinity. TIL local ply
sicians will be glad to lave an opportunity
to test various treatments recommended by
science and in cases where the patient Is
not constitutionally affected, and n radica
change of tissue has not taken place, they
may win some successes. And, at any rate
it will be easier to draft the incurable away
from the branch hospitals than to teal
them away at once from their homes. Th
Health authorities have not yet exhausted
all the best means for the care and treat
ment of lepers. They have not provided
sufficient medical help and medical appli
ances at Kalawao. A single physician
even a capable man like DIR. Neilson-wit
no medical staff to assist in the care of 80
people, and no sufficient appliances 70
thorough medical diagnosis, must degene
rate, however capable, into a mere purvey
ing overseer.
To u-no hnna1 OF nt1a ftnla Nuhan a Ha
waiian Legislature provided ten thousan
dollars for the medical care of lepers, tina
the authorities would have sought for n
eminent and Jealous physician, devoted t
science and to humanity,-and such, II
doubt, could be found, who has had expe
rience in Europe and Asia, and who woul
take charge of our Hawaiian lepers wit
zeal, as atfording in their treatment a neN
and peculiar field for the tests and possible
triumphs of science. But this has not bee
done and, so far, there are no triumph
for our Board of Health.