The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1884-01-09

OF the countries quoted the CIlInAle II
every case Is VIGOROUSLY more unhealthy
than ours. We have no deadly feyers to
sweep of hundreds oi our population. and
vet our death rate Is higher than that Of
the most unhealthy island IN the West
/ Indies
l. then Honolulu an unhealthy city we
I think il need not be: We must lOokfOr some
| cause. however. for the large mortality,
and We think It can he summed up IN the
one word ~ carelessness.n A glance at the
murtuary report for December shows this
plsinly enough: Of the 6 deaths thst &C
CURED during that month, 30 are marked
as unattended; /. c. nearly fifty per cent Of
the people who died had had no medical
assistance whatever But the Board OF
Health never seems to trouble It's head
about the matter. We may venture 10 as
serI that not one member OF It has given
his attention to the death rate. or has com
pared It with the death rate OF other cities:
had any member done so be would have
been appalled, at the figures, and would
have at once called the attention OF his
colleagues to the matter
The President Of the Board Of Health
before he was II Office yspored a great
deal about his anxiety for the health Of
the people. especially the Hawauans, IN
fact lie climbed to power by using It as a
party cry. Others who had had the man
acemaut OF the public health had not done
their duty. hut he was gong 10 change al
that He has now been IN office nearly
two years and even in this, his pet hobby,
the subject on which he has written book
even. people fail to see that any improve
ment has been made. Il cannot certainly
be said that there has been lack OF
funds, for The vote for health purposes was
larger than il has ever been. APresident
who was really anxious for the welfare Of
the native people would have used the
funds at his disposal to increase the staff
Of government physicians In Honolulu
There can be no doubt about the hard
work that the government physician does
but there can also be no doubt that there
are far more cases than he can properly
attend to
1t i acknowledged that the Hawaiisns
are careless in sickness: 1t Is the duty OF
those who have charge Of the public health
to see thRt every facility Is given them TO
call in physicians. and It can unhesita-
tingly, be said that every facility Is 7o'
givrn them Follies. ostentations, sine
cures for favurites. these things can be at
tended TO. but the health Of the poor Hs-
waiian o1Hse, be attended to.
This j. a matter that the members Of
the next Legislature viii closely scrutinize,
and we may be sure that If the indePend
eui ticket be elected such a searching en-
uuiry viii be made as viii make even The
brazen forehead Of the President oi the
Board OF Health change color. The Health
Of the Pe0plei The health OF the Hawai-
ian, that 5 Cac Jf the watch-wordsof the
true refurner. The Premier has had his
trial and-has failed It Is time that
some true lover of the people take his
place: some man Of executive ability: some
man who really means to owhst he prom
ises. and Of such there Is no lack IN the
Ha-saiian Islands You should have re
duced this death rate Of 35y39 Per thousand
Mr. Minister: with proper care It might
have been done,