Daily Honolulu press. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1886, 1885-09-25
FRIDAY. SEPT as, 1885
sANITARY CONDITION or HOMO
LULU.

Through the medium Of medical
Journal which arrived by Tuesdays
mail, we learn that according to
information received by the National
Board of Health, the following figures
represent the diffusion and mortality OF
cholera in Spain for the period from
July 4th to 18th inclusive"--districts
omitted--"cases, 4S,o4I; deaths, al
$40" The Bulletin also says "that it
is probable the epidemic has prevailed
much more extensively than is indi-
Gated by the above figures, as the
Medical Weaos, published in Madrid,
states in its issue of July goth, that in
one place more than one thousand
certificates of death were found that
had not been reported to the registrar ,
In another article, headed Measures
Recommended by the Royal Italian
Society Of Hygiene for the Prevention
of Cholera" we find many rules laid
down:
"3. Linen washed in infected water
transmits the cholera.
6. That surface-water and surface
soil have been proved to be means Of
transmission of the cholera germs.
7. That running-water transports
from the surface of the soil the germs
which multiply and diffuse themselves.
Therefore he concludes that the local
authorities should be empowered to
take measures to prevent the containi.
nation Of the water courses, for when
this happens it would not be possible to
check the spread OF the disease.
We yesterday showed that our water
supply was such as at any time to prove
a source of the greatest danger Sup
pose the germs do reach us, what
would be our situation? Were one
case to happen above Kapena pool and
portion Of the dejegta from cholera
patient or typhoid fever patient find
its way into our water supply, what
would necessarily be the results1 With
the state of filth which we have shown
is the condition Of this city now with
a soil saturated for years with sewerage,
our people debilitated with the longspell
ofsultry weather whichhas been thecon-
dtion here for long time past, no
doubt can be entertained for an in
stant, but that the frightful mortality
which is now scourging Spain would be
even worse here.
But if we have not already cited in
stances enough, let us refer back seven
years in our memroy to what happened
in Memphis, Tennessee. That was a
place offering parallel to our own
position. Situated on the banks
of the Mississippi River, in re-
gion abounding with sloughs, and an
inadequate system of sewerage, with a
large negro population, with no more
regard for cleanliness than the natives
here, and no more knowledge Of the
laws of health and hygiene, yellow
fever obtained foothold, and the re-
suits were frightful to contemplate.
Many of our readers must remember
how subscriptions were started all over
the United States for the relief
of the sufferers. Have we not
every reason to believe that like fate
would overtake us were the germs OF
one OF these diseases once to obtain
Judgement here1 We are no longer
protected by isolation from the likeli-
hood that such germs may come among
us. On the contrary tits a good deal more
than probable they will be here and
that at any time. The San Francisco
papers tell us Of the rayages of some
disease in Japan at the present time
which is no less disastrous than cholera
is in Spain. About the nature Of the
disease there is some doubt, some
observers claiming it is cholera and
some denying it. But that near Naga
saki it is daily claiming deadly tribute,
in enormous numbers, there is nc
doubt. Japan is only "a days trave'
from US and the known period Of incu
baton Of cholera is about ten days
Are we not by our own supineness