Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1884-02-16

on the subject he has studiously con
ccaled them from the unkind scrutiny
OF an ungencrous public until now All
this writing an engineer Of experience
is In town studying our water system
and gathering data for a report III
Mr. Gulick is responsible for this, he is
entitled to the foil credit Of a wise act
1t is to be hoped that the governments
ahcr-action- something, unfortunately,
not to be counted on with any degree
Of certainty--will tend towards the
solution OF this water problem III
Major Bender and the interior depart
ment will supply satisfactory data, the
legislature will have an opportunity to
do this city good service-to its resi-
dents directly, to its profit indirectly in
giving Honolulu that good name
among travellers which will help insure
the full appreciation its attractions
merit
LEPROsy Nv GOyERNMENT Schools
In last Thursdays Bulletin appeared
aletterfrom Mr.. c. w. Ashford, the gist of
which was that Doctor Trousseau had
been asked to examine the pupils of
Fort-Street School for signs of leprosy,
that he had agreed to do so "provided
he should have the assurance that such
pupils as he found and reported to be
afflicted with leprosy should be at once
removed from the school, but that Mr..
Gibson refused compliance with this
very reasonable condition, in conse-
quence of which no further official
action has been taken" In reply, we
are informed by the Advertiser
Of yesterday, that the statement which
Mr. Ashford repeats, so far as it relates
to Mr. Gibson, is entirely untrue" The
real facts of the case are given in a
letter from Doctor Trousseau, pub
lished in yesterdays Bulletin. He says
EDITOR BULLETIN AS ! see my name
mentioned in Mr.. Ashfords letter this morn.
ing, please allow me To- state facts as they are
a few weeks ago Mr.. Gibson mentioned to
me his desire to have the school children all
examined, and asked me if | would, with
Doctors Brode and Parker, undertake the
task. | asked him to let lps know how it was
to be done, s1fhqt fseodld Judge, what would
be my own yespcpsbility in.thtmaiier
A few days later DocpaSS Parker called and
school clhldtsN'hh dIonolulpn i6 coojdnction
with Doctor Brodie, ~u,r ,SlhSsetfS asked
him what Wefe, II. Shstfdsiiohs of the presi.
dent Of the board OF health. He answered he
had none but To examine the children and
afterwards report. said to Doctor Parker
that unless everything was presented TO me in
a tangible form, and unless the childrer. lie
clared by us to be lepers, sh-uld at once be
removed to Kakaal 3, | would decline to take
any part in lie matter. / added that any
other Measure would be unsatisfactory to all
Concerned. Since then | have heard nothing
more about it, Yours, very truly,
G. TRoUssEAu.
| Honolulu, February Ia, 1854
Doctor Trousseau's letter puts Mr..
Gibsou's conduct in quite as bad a
fhght as tile other letrkr lett him in.
This viii more clearly be seen by the
followin; additional information On
the a5th of January Or thereabouts)
Mr. Gibson called on Doctor Trousseau
and conversed about the suspicious
concerning leprosy in the schools. Mr..
Gibson said that he would like to nave
Doctors Trousseau, Brodie and Parker
form a board of examiners, recognized
by the board of health, and suggested
the following plan That all the schools
should be dismissed and that thereafter
pupils should be admitted only on
certificates from one or more of the
examining board or from a family
physician. Doctor Trousseau agreed
with Mr.. Gibson, and consented to act
on the board under those conditions. On
January 29th, Doctor Parker called on
Doctor Trousseau and said that Mr..
Gibson had decided to have the schools
examined. Doctor Trousseau replied
that he was willing to act provided
pupils who were found to be lepers
should be sent to Kakaako. Doctor
Parker was not prepared to answer
authoritatively upon that point Since
that interview Doctor Trousseau--as
he says in his letter-heard nothing
more about it. Does it seem reason
able to suppose that the board OF
health which is Mr., Gibson-was sin
cere in the desire to deal vigorously
with leprosye If SO, why did he wait
from January aoth until February 18th
when there was reason to suspect one
of the two leading government schools
OF Honolulu of harboring lepers1 Ii
teachers were needlessly frightened, 1t
was due them to allay their fears. II
they had reason to dread the spread
OF contagion among their pupils, the
suspects should have been promptly
sent To kakaako. If it is not danger
Gus 10 have well children associate
with leprous playmates, to sit beside
them, perhaps use the same slate, to
frollc with them and cross perspiring
palms, perhaps 10 kiss them or receive
Their kisses-if that be attended with
no danger, why do not Messrs. Gibson
and Fitch say so. If il is dangerous,
if it is virtual playing with the tools OF
death to allow it to 90 on, then Mr.
Gibson is is what language fails fifty
to characterize.
We understand that those physicians
in Honolulu who bave had the expert.
ence OF leprosy nece say to rational
diagnosis of the disease have thoroughly
considered the expediency OF refusing
absolutely TO have anything more to do
with the leprous under the slack admin
isnation OF the present board of health.
For instance, even if private persons
apply 70 them for an opinion upon a
suspected case or for treatment, they
would simply refuse to give an opinion
and throw back the responsibility on
the board OF health where it belongs.
Article after article, written by we'll
informed aud able medical men have
! appeared in the local press, refuting the
theories Of Mr. Fitch and establishing
beyond doubt the contagiousness of the