The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-03-03

$500 A1d tLA
condition of the disease as set forth in
the Chronicle article, which is inspired by
our Honolulu contemporaries are most
grievously exaggerated. The idea con
Veyed, Is, that there is danger to the
travelling stranger, and that, by some
touch or slight contact, as during the
prevalence of an epidemic of smallpox
or cholera, the disease OF leprosy may
be caught by infection. Every resident
and candid observer in the Kingdom
knows that such an opinion of the danger
OF the disease is utterly without found
alton Since the Leper Hospital was
established at Kalawao, now nearly
fourteen years ago, there have been
entered at the Hospital a total
OF 242S patients Iand-of this number,
only IA were of foreign birth and all
were males. In every foreign case that
has been entered at the Hospital, it has
been admitted that the disease was con-
tracted by intimate association by
cohabitation with diseased Hawaiian
females. 3However, the possibility is
admitted, that persons of correct life
may contract the disease by incubation
or vaccination with diseased virus but
even this is a supposition, and not a
proved medical fact) On the other
hand, there can be cited multitudes of
instances of foreigners coming in. contact
with leper patients during II lapse of
years, without the slightest taint or
danger, The most prominent case of
this description, under the observation
OF the whole country, is that of the noble
and indefatigable Father Damien, who,
now for a term of about ten years, has
been residing among the lepers at the
settlement on Molokai. He is daily in
contact with the sick. The writer of
this article and manysothers, who have
visited the settlement and have spent
some days in observation there, nave
seen Father Damien handle and move
incurable lepers, assist them to cleanse
and bandage their sores, enter the fetid
chamber of the dead leper, and assist in
the preparation of the remains of the
departed leper for his last repose. 1t may
be said, that during his ten years stay
among the lepers, Father Damien has had
10000 personal contacts with the sick,
and SO many occasions of contracting the
disease, if there was any truth in what
our leper-hOwlers desire, in their politi-
cal bitterness and disappointment, to
advance and spread abroad. We knew
of a leper doing service for a
foreign family, rendering a variety
of domestic service, washing and
even handling children without any
injurious result. Whatever may be the
pre-disposition in the native constitu-
ton owing to pre-syphilitic faint or
other causes, it is manifest by the expo
rience of years, that the foreign popula-
ton here have not the slightest ground
for apprehension, under the ordinary
conditions of life, of any danger owing
the vicinity of, or even ordinary per-
sonal contact with a leprous case. But
the present health authorities have not
been acting supinely or even indiffer-
emily, as was the case in the past with
q former Board of Health, on account of
any opinion about the non-contagious-
ness of leprosy. They are acting on
the general belief of it's contagious char
acter and have been Jealous in their
endeavor, according to the means at
their command, to aggregate the lepers,
and to provide for their care and treat
ment. There is not the slightest occa-
sion for mothers of Qoreign) families, as
stated, being alarmed. They can only
become so by being aroused and played
upon by an INSCRIPTIONS party press. |
The patrons of such a press have truly
adopted the motto of rule or ruin. "
Disappointed politicians, who claim that
they are entitled to a certain influence,
are embittered to see that influence pass
out of their hands. They are like the
Indians. as set forth in the story. where
there was a dispute about the charge of
a young white lady whom they were
escorting. Rather than be disappointed
in the immediate charge of her escort
they slew her. So our disappointed
politicians, here, would rather stab their
little country to the heart, than allow
others the charge of her affairs. They
would rouse up the INSCRIPTIONS enc
mics and writer's abroad, and speak of
horrors and dangers here, that exist
mainly in their Imagination. They
would arouse an apprehension, that will
place aniembargo upon our products
Some of you, sugar producers, are help
ing to do this J You have subsidized the
unscrupulous press -; you have paid for
it's circulation abroad, and if the trav-
eler keeps away through fear of talnt,
and our produce should be tabooed in
their wonted markets, then take it
home to yourselves and reflect that you
alone are the authors. of the mischief.