The Hawaiian gazette., 1884-11-26

For some time past the GAZETTE has
been doing all in its power to discuss the
leprosy question calmly and dispassion-
ately, and it has shown many of the short
|comings of those whose duty it is to try
and grapple with the disease Until the
system of segregation is thoroughly car
ried out, we may as well make up our
minds that no Roadway can possibly be
made towards checking the disease. 1t
will continue TO grow, its insidious fangs
Will seize upon healthy subject after
healthy subject, and not all the nostrums
of all the quacks viii stop it. As far as
the history of mankind can be our guide
there is only one way in which leprosy can
be intelligently fought, and but one and
that way is segregation. We will not
pause to bubble as to the exact medical
term to express the fact that it spreads,
We will be satisfied with the fact, proved
by statistics, of its spreading, andrapidly,
and we would have our rulers take the
matter up in earnest. This is one of those
cases where half measures are compare
lively worthless. The thing must be done
thoroughly, and to do it thoroughly en-
tails individual suffering; but it is better
that the Individual should suffer than that
the State should: just as the teacher in
culcated that it were better to lose an eye
or limb than to lose the Kingdom of
Heaven
How soon the Government will show a
vigorous determination to cope with the
disease, to stamp il out we cannot say.
We do not mean that they are totally neg
lectful, but we do mean to say that at the
very best they are criminally careless. What
IS now being done is very similar to shut
ting up in quarantine, during small pox
epidemic, those patients who had the worst
symptoms and allowing cases of varioloid
to remain at their homes, mingle with the
people and become centers from which
smallpox patients might again be sought.
But it is not only the Government who
must be blamed, blame must also be put
on private citizens. They have duty as
well as the paid executive officers of the
country. If we look back into the history
of leprosy we will see how much was done
by pious and humane people for the ben
eft of the afflicted. They built private
hospitals, they assisted in the endowment
of public ones. Now we here cannot be
called an ungenerous people, one way or
another the amount of money given away
IN charity would make those who have not
given the matter careful thought, very
surprised indeed: but with the exception
OF one bazaar got up short time ago,
private effort has done little for the lepers.
Ii we can raise money for boat races, for
horse races, we certainly ought also to be
able to raise money Us peculiar class
of our sick And til zone special class
among them which needs all our sympa-
thy and care; that class is the children.
Both at Kakaako and at Molokai are a
number of children, and in neither place
are their surroundings what they ought to
be. The children should be kept separate
from the grown up people: they hear and
see things which they ought neither to see
nor hear. 1t may be argued that they are
not worse off than children of the lower
classes here are generally, that the healthy
also see and hear things which they ought
not; but the moment the State has shut
them in the asylum it has assumed
stronger responsibility over them and it is
the duty of the State to take more than
ordinary care of them. What we would
advocate would be the establishment of a
Home for leper children. fthe Govern
ment has not funds enough at its dis
posal, surely money could be obtained from
among our citizens. ANY one who has
seen the children at Kakaako, the slight
cases playing and Familiarity associating
with those which are hideous and repul
sive, will acknowledge the necessity of
some classification. The experiment might
be made with few slight cases, and we
feel sure that once established such an in
sttuhon would meet with ready resistance
from all classes of our citizens. We trust
that the suggestion will meet with the ap-
proval of our fellow editors and that they
will join with us in trying to push forward
what we feel assured would be good
Nrnrl-