Daily Honolulu press. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1886, 1885-09-28
SANTA TTON.


cial.
Conversely there is danger from
water hoaOeoe, pn,r originally, which is
allowed to stand and become stagnant
in surface pools about any dwelling or
place of human concourse.
q. Subsoil water even the purest de-
tanned by impervio@, water-tight en-
bankments or underlying strata is
dangerous. The embankment should
be tapped and the soggy land drained
to allow the water to proceed on its
way to the ocean for the reason that :
3. Moisture is a great b,op0eatfse of
cell gyozoM and accay
a. Animal excreta and dead animal
and vegetable substances that contain
moisture are liable to rapid decay and
are thefore to be removed as danger
Gus to life and detrimental to health.
S. Offensive odors are always danger
signals The nose is a good sanitary
detective.
6. Sunlight, fresh air and dry earth
are the very best disinfectants known to
sanitary science.
We might go on and enumerate
other laws known to science, but these
are sufficient for our present purpose
and will serve as our text for the
present
The principles above stated are broad
and far-reaching in their application and
if thoroughly carried out in Honolulu
would change the whole sanitary con-
dition of this town and without contro-
versy make it well nigh impossible for it
to become the permanent abode Of
typojd, d,typhus, yellow fever, and cholera,
not to say Of diptheria and cerebro-
spinal-meningitis..
Without the adoption of measures
looking to the carrying ou, OF these
principles while there is no telling into
what particular pitfall we may stumble
as community, it is quite certain that
the conditions are ripe in our midst for
the precipitation know not where
OF some terrible calamity that shall
grievously affict this community in the
lives and health Of its people.
1t is well for the Board of Health to
stand at the entrance ofthe port and en-
force the strictest quarantine against
smallpox, and all other infectious and
contagious diseases.
But no sanitary inspection can be so
omniscient as to discover every disease
germ, and no quarantine so omnipo-
tent as to insure its destruction or con
fnement to given radius, if dis
covered.
Suppose then the arrival in our
midst of single cholera or yellow
fever patient, or article OF clothing even,
laden with the germs of either Of these
diseases, the question Of our freedom
from or liability to an epidemic would
be decided not by the tardy efforts of a
Board of Health to quarantine and
disinfect but by the nature Of the soil
which the disease germs might find
awaiting their entrance.
The cesspools Of "Cape Horn," XII
kihale, Puukolu, Kakaako, would fur
nish admirable breeding grounds for
the germs of cholera and yellow jack.
1t is equally certain that the dry and
porous slopes of Punchbowl would be
an uncongenial soil for the same germs.
Supposing the present condition of
things to continue, the fate that is to
await us MeA will be determined by our
condition n0qo.
We come now to consider what are
the measures to be adopted to ensure
freedom from the dangers that threaten
US.
Ist. While private and individual
efforts can do much they cannot avail
to institute and enforce such general
measures as are necessary in order to
put Honolulu in sound sanitary con-
dition.
In order to accomplish this work it
must be undertaken and carried on by
some earnest, responsible and duly
authorized man or body Of men pos
sessed of theoretical and practical
wisdom, backed up by law and an intel
ligent public opinion.
1t seems,to the writer very doubtful
if it is possible for the head of such
board to fulfill his duties in this direc-
ton and at the same time to engage in
any other business.
I'D. Such Board should at all times
command the services of sanitary
engineer possessed Of sufficient prac-
tical and theoretical knowledge.
3D. There is sufficient law on the
statute books now, and such Board
should immediately proceed to carry
out and enforce the letter and spirit of
the law as it now stands Experience
will soon point out what changes and
additions are needed to maize rhA law