The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-11-10

clans in all parts of the civilized world.
Leprosy may be said to have first struck
this nation about thirty years ago or, at
least, it had not attracted the attention of
medical men at an earlier period. As soon
as the disastrous effects of the disease were
manifest among the people, the Hawaiian
Government, in a brave and philanthropic
spirit, bent its energies to stay its ravages.
1t was great task in view OF the limited
resources of this small State and the other
important demands upon its finances. In
view of the rapid increase and apparent
epidemic character OF the disease, segrega-
ton was determined upon by the Govern
ment, and the first step taken was to secure
a suitable isolated retreat where, by as
humane as possible a system of separation
from the healthy portion of the commun-
ity, the unfortunate lepers would receive
such care and attention as would alleviate
as much as possible their unhappy condi-
ton. In January, 1866, was first COM
menced the Leper Settlement of KaIawaO,
a beautiful domain of about 5000 acres in
extent, on the island of Molokai. Since
the establishment of the Settlement up to
this date there have been cared for within
It's JULIUS as SIN NdIuS vi TIE ndllOn,
3, 1O1 lepers, and there are of this number $50
living at this day. The wants of these I'M
fortunate people have been attended to in
a manner which, considering our resources,
would do credit to the most powerful,
wealthy and enlightened of foreign States.
| In thus briefly referring to the work of
comparatively but few years it must be al
ways borne in mind that the calamity came
upon the nation somewhat by surprise, and
! certainly with an unanticipated virulence,
| which required almost superhuman efforts
| to counteract in our then state of mex
| perience. Little by little we gained more
! knowledge, and with it confidence. We
called in men of experience to investigate,
assist and advise, and have sought far and
wide for all the information that would en-
able the Government to deal intelligently
and humanely with great calamity affect
ing the health of the people. In the en-
! deavor to conquer or control this malady
! by segregation and care at Kalawao alone,
| the Government has expended during the
last twenty years no less a sum than
! $613, 1856 To this must be added the cost of
| the establishment and current expenses of
the Branch Hospital during a period of
| four years, amounting, including medical
services and various incidental expenses,
to a total of about 81 100000 The Govern
ment now expends in the care and promo
ton of the health of the people at least one
| tenth of its annual revenues of the King
! dom. | cannot recall to mind any other
! country in the civilized world that can in
! comparison make such an unhappy state
ment, and yet one which is so much to the
credit of the humanity of the nation. The
mind of the Legislator and philanthrOpist
can rise to no nObler work than to benefit
the sick and helpless of his fellowmen, and
care for the general health of the people.
Such is and ever should be, the foremost
aim of those who are entrusted by His
! Majesty with theS administration of the
affairs of this Kingdom.
This is not the occasion and l am not
proper authority to consider the path
ology and etiology of leprosy, or to express
a decided opinion upon the question of
contagion and consequent segregation. l
tt6 he o1es hesitation he IN wing that
interest than what Is popularity entertained,
especially abroad, inasmuch as while adj
hitting that the malady is contagious un-
der the most favorable conditions, yet it
does not seem to be more so than many
common diseases, the result of an inn
paired condition of blood, which are gener-
ally accepted as being nOn-contagious, and
only become so through peculiarly favor
able and strongly corresponding circum-
stances Certainly there is nothing in the
history of the disease, or attaching 10 it,
to cause the foreigners visiting our shores
to be in the slightest degree apprehensive
of danger, inasmuch as only seven out of
about eight hundred lepers now cared for
in our hospitals are foreigners, who have
all been long resident in the country. 1t is
very hopeful, also, to bear in mind, upon
this occasion especially, that the medical
wisdom of the world is being daily increased
and enriched by patient research and
assiduous study, that many diseases long
deemed incurabe, and the causes of which
were long thought to be untraceable, indie
Unable and inexplicable, have been brought
under medical subsection by the concentra-
ton of the intellectual forces of the age.
So may it be with the mysterious malady
of leprosy. l trust that modern scientific
investigation will solve the problem that
has puzzled the world for ages and as far
back as humanity possesses records and
traditions.
In this Kingdom every effort is being |
made-under the direction of His Majesty's |
GOvernment-by able men and devoted |
women, working in the midst of the dread |
full disease itself, to unravel its mysteries !
and to soften its horrors. Not only are
they by their faithful efforts striving to
ameliOrate the condition of our own peo- |
pie, but they are gathering light and COM |
piling valuable data and information to be !
sent forth for the benefit of the sufferers of |
other nations. BY exchange and COM |
parisOn of cases and experiments with the |
other leper afflicted sections of the earth |
important and beneficial results are surely, !
if slowly, bound to ensue These Islands |
are watched with lively interest in this !
connection, and in this great labor the |
Kingdom of Hawaii, limited tho She is in |
area, population and wealth, marches
nobly and creditably along side by side |
with the most enlightened and influential !
nations. My personal observation leads |
me to believe that we have passed through |
the worst of this disease, and that there is
every reason to hope that it, viruIence is
now on the decline l am led 10 Judge so
Il II