The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1881-01-22

WE sincerely hope that prompt attention
will be given to the recent proclamations
and notices issued by the Board of Health,
on the subject Of vaccination. The respOn-
sibiIity of parents, whose infant children
are not yet v~accinated, is, in this matter,
very serious. Through their carelessness,
laziness, or wilfulness, they may leave their
helpless little ones defenceless against one
of the most horrible, and most infectious of
diseases, and in the end, the deaths of these
children may lie at their doors. For those
whom this solemn responsibility is not
sufficient to render ttentiv to the duty of
vaccination, the law provides the goad of
penalties. The duties of parents, in respect
of vaccination, are laid carefully down in
Sections 81 and 80, of the Civil Code, and
Section BIC provides for those who refuse
or neglect to comply with the provisions of
the w q fine of five d~ollars-giving half
the fine to the informer. If there has been
any carelessness in the past, in the enforce
ment of this law, it is certain that public
opinion will tolerate none now. The Board
of Health has performed the duties imposed
uponit. Duly qualified v~accinating officers
have been appointed for every district in
the Kingdom, and al ample supply of reIia-
bic vaccine lymph has been obtained. If
any child should remain unvaccinated, il
will not be because this means of protection
against the dreaded smallpox has not been
brought within reach of that child's pa
tents, or legal custodians. If all that has
been done by the Board-if the terrible res
possibility for their childrens' safety, which
rests on p~arents-ifthe very instinct ofself-
preservation-be not sufficiently powerful
incentives to obey the law, then the ordin-
airy police methods for enforcing the law
will have to be resorted TO-. 1t will indeed
be a thing much to be regretted if coercion
has to be substituted for invitation, if the
ample arrangements made for rendering
vaccination available and easy to all, have
to be supplemented bymeasures which will
bring the informer's hateful office into
play. But however much there may be to
regret in a recourse to c~oercive measures,
any laxity will hereafter have to be much
more painfully regretted, should an out
break of smallpox demonstrate that infant
vaccination has been neglected.
MORE SMALLPOX on THE QUISTA.-This vessel
left behind seven deserters from her crew, and her
captain did not care to wait for them, as they tell
q bad story about her. They state that one Chinese
passenger died on the 2nd inst, o second one on this
Ord. q third on the 9th, and q fourth one on the 9th
inst, and all were evidently cases of smallpox
The first two deceased parties were brought to this
port in boxes, and were ahoat awhile. Now thu
Quinta arrived on the 18th and her passengers vert
taken to quarantine, examined by DR.. Hutchinson
and discharged on the 18th, and on the 10Th, OF
about IA days since the last case on board, a dis.
easrd Chinaman was discovered, and pronounced q
smallpox case by DR.. Hoffman,; he was afterward.
examined by DIR. Hutchinson and pronounced
doubtful, probably a cutaneOus eruption; but subse.
quently examined by Drs. McKibbin and Hutchin.
son and declared to be an unquestionable case of small
pox- One OF the deserters asserts that the first case Of
smallpox on board appeared on the 25th December
she left Canton on the 18th December. He handled
the eorpses, which he says were rotten with small
pOx, and took all the four out of their hunks, and
was provided with q bottle OF brandy whilst en-.
gagged on the job.
What a prospect this prcsents-another 600 Chi
nese, more or less infected with the smallpox. spread
over the group. We understand that one of the
charierers Of the ship is here. and somebody ought
to suffer for such work, as thrusting q fatal epidem-
&c into the country.