Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1882-04-22

AFRIL ~, t2
AN IHr0RrANT QUESTION.

Among tie gsaya ga tlas laay av, to be
considered %, tle ua.. Sitting .he egsla-
tive body, is one .. .a. ..... Importance to
the Kingdom, and which especially concerns
the welfare O.. it's a.iea subjects
DR.. Fitch's report, Ieee...g rendered t5 .ho
Board o. Health and which wa hope 20 soc u.s.
sued in complete aDi cauvla.eu. form, reads
like revelation. il. tic dac,ora statements
are not exaggoga;cl-we ao uq. iu5iuua.e
that they are-tLerl las been 3 remarkable
lack of activity in the Board heretofore.
When more than four thousand now cases are
registered at the Dispensary during single
quarter, when the applicants during ton weeks
average eleven hundred week, and when as
many as thirteen hundred afflicted natives ap-
peal to DR.. Fitch for aid in single week; ;
three hundred and twenty-thrce of these in a
single day, it is high time that lie is thoroughly
seconded by the Government, and that he has
| suitable accommodations provided, and the
| necessary aid for which he now applies.
II the lepers, or those who are considered
such, are benefited by the use of certain medi-
| cines the doctor says they are-why is it
| that exiles at Kalawao are deprived of them I?
"The report of the Board OF Health to the
Legislative Assembly OF 1876" we quote the
doctor, "shows the bill for drugs for two
years TO have been fifty dollars. Dur
ing these two years, tue average number Of
patients at Kalawao was about seven hundred.
In other words, the total expenditure of the
| Government for medicine and medical stores
for these poor people amounted 10 about one
cent per month for each patient; for
eleven out Of twelve years, no physician was
provided"
There are those who consider DIR. Fitch an
enthusiast; it requires no enthusiast to come
into this Kingdom TO pronounce this gross
negligence on the part OF the authorities, for
the lepers are subject, like as we are, to many
sorts of ills.
DR.. Fitch believes tl,at he has benefited
those who are afflicted with lcprosy he does
not claim to have cured them he claims that
the palpable symptoms-sore throat, deep.
seated pains, copper-oolored tubercles and
sores, diseases Of tho bones, necrosis ant
sloughing, the cracked and furyowed tongue
local indurations Of cellular tissue and anas-
thesia--"are amenable 70 treatment
lie is visible at the Dispensary he doei
not work under cover; on the contrary, he ia.
yites the curious to come and see for them
selves The living witnesses are present.
there is any dclusion in the mind Of the pa
tient in consequence Of the Doctors en,husi
asm, theu his enthusiasm is Of some benefit /.
the community. Faith works miracles, an,
SO long as the horrible symptoms Of lepros,
are amenable TO faith, let Us awaken that iaitl
by whatever means may lie within our power
We are not considering the relation vhiel
leprosy bears 10 syphilis. We know that (
has been tie cualom ~ regard lhe lIavaiial
nation a. doomei Ia SPEEDY eg,iuc'ior, ap,
that lspgosy Is a autiecl uot easily dissouAio,
with Tie history 80 tbe Kngdon. N1w q 8
il possible 10 Prove laat st.s . nei iepusS
that II q % lepusg, g is tli fourth saso q
syphIls. ana t.lai a lil case lis pngte
can Dc cheeksA, ana ius reiasl
hays reason g. lei8. ia iaer b aons on
vish iaitA enough, e'sacs snast
aud daring eueHs hess o. HH ha4a 81
tai,lc .ih ihs le,il.l soay.laes q ls pts
deceasaIs, end 10 a.aa', % GAO CA
great, egon though prose aA b ~ hain.
good.
Ds. fleA says sss 4sl4si std eisht flg
iilas oi lepsosy haze applied 70 lia los irsat