The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-11-05
Til UHSDAY November 9TH.
MOLOKAI SETTLEMENT.
His Excellency Mr.. Gibson Visits
the Hospital, Prison, Store
House, Etc.
Meotlngs at KaIawaO and KaIaupaPa
EaeGIOa-Leave Taking.

In Yesterdays ADVERTIsER details OF the
Tisit Of His Excellency the President of the
Board OF Health to the Leper Settlement on
MOlokai Island were given to the close of
the Grst day, Monday, November I'd. On
the morning Of the Sd an early start was
made, and the serious business of the day
began at KalaWao. His Excellency visited
all the Government buildings, and inspected
the stores, hospital, dispensary. etc., most
thoroughly, inquiring minutely into the de-
tails OF management, and asking the people
whether they had any complaints or sug-
gestions to make. A more complete invest
CATION it would hardly be possible to make
during the time at His ExcelIency's disposal,
and il possessed the further merit Of dis
closing most fully the normal condition Of
affairs at the Settlement There was no op-
pOrtunity to prepare for the visit, which was
wholly unexpected-a surprise, in fact, to
officers and inmates as we'll. For this
reason, the result was all the more satisfac-
tory, giving complete assurance Of careful
and efficient administration in every depart
meRt.
THE HOSPITAL
Was the first place visited. It consists Of
fourteen detached cottages and buildings in
9 grass enclosure, in which the worst cases
Of lepresy are lodged and cared for. Several
are in sery advanced stages of the disease,
but there was no offensive smell about the
apartments occupied by them, which were
scrupulOusly clean and well Ventila ted.
Their cots and beds were neatly made up,
although the hour was early, and the order
ly arrangement of everything about the dor
1aitories would do credit to City Hospital.
There are fifty inmates Of the Leper Hospi-
tai st KaIswao. of whom eight are females.
The women were all seated beside their beds,
which, as matter OF preference to them,
were neatly spread upon the floor. The
nen were all provided with cots, and in one
apartment the inmates, on being asked if
they wanted for anything, expressed wish
for iron bedstsads instead of the old wooden
cots used by them, which hsrbored vermin.
This is the only apartment where such a
complaint was made, and it will doubtless
be attended to. At another COTTAGE occu-
pied by men in an advanced stage of lep-
rosy, the only request preferred was the
simple one that veranda be erected, upon
which they may sit in the shade and enjoy
the glorious sunlight. This request, from
men who are slowly rotting to their graves,
was touching one. 1t showed that their
love Of life had not been quenched, and
that although their bodies were decaying by
inches, they still had lingering affection
for the beauties of Nature, upon which they
are themselves foul blot. There were
nine OF these unfortunates in this cottage.
Close by, in small cottage sat an cid man
and his wife, Grooming together near the door,
and greeting with lugubrious ''AIOhas" the
visiting strangers. IL was q sad and pitiful
sight, this picture of coniugal affection
within the wards of leper hospital. Death
would have been 3 happy release for them;
but these aged people did not apparently
want to die. They looked contented, clothed
with sores and permeated by rOttenness,
and the only request they had to make was
that their cottage roof might be pstched in
places, the late wind storm having displaced
some Of the shingles. Their modest request
viii be complied with, and they will at least
spend the heavy burden of their days in a
we'll rooted cottage. And here, by the way,
il may be remarked that the storm referred
to compelled the Board of Health to use 40,
900 shingles in repairing the roofs of cot
tAges aud buildings in the Settlement owned
by the Government.
The kitchen within the Hospital enclosure
is clean and neat in its appointments. There
ID . large army cooking range in use, and
other necessary appliances are provided.
The food for Hospital inmates and attend
a -, - ooolxad here The fngI ia hOupht
50 so per cord, OF kukui wood. 1t isprO-