The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1886-06-08

The general Report of the Board of
! Health has already been treated Of in
these columns, and there are some ques-
tions connected with it which still need
answering. The explanations Of the
S21, 900 of sundries has only been made
by flourish of vouchers in the Presidents
hand, and the fact that the children at Ka-
kaako are using for bare necessaries at the
rate Of over $1,000 year each, is still IN
explained.
Report No 2, which is entitled @Lep-
rosy" is a document Of forty seven pages,
from the pen of the President of the Board
Of Health, and among other interesting
matters we have his theory Of the leprosy
question, which no doubt is valuable as a
literary production, but which is abso-
lutely valueless from a medical point of
view. 1t Is tlippant and shallow, pretend
ing to depth of learning while showing
the writer TO be mere smatterer.
One of the first sections deals with the
introduction of the disease into the Islands
and this leads the President to quote and
comment for four pages on the natural
phenomena of the islands" which is fol
lowed by early Native Diseases" ''Con-
struction of Native Houses" "Whence the
Disease was Derived which give an OPP
portunity for a depression" as Fielding
takes in Town Forces; the depression being
upon India, with reference to MY views
on the origin of the Hawaiian and Malay
sian races The opportunity is further
seized to suggest that some friend of the
President be forwarded to Malaysia to
study the disease there. This comes with
peculiar grace from man vino has thwart-
81
when carrying out intelligent experiments.
Then we are treated to a discussion upon
the Leprosy of the Bible, and finally we,
arrive at the coping stone, headed "What
then, is Leprosy" in which is unfolded
the Presidents theories, wrapped up in
sentences interlarded with Il am inclined
to believe" Il think IN all probability"
and so forth, which carry them convinc-
ingly home to the scientific mind. The
whole may be summed up in the sen
tence, which the author himself uses.
Il do not know But why take up so
many pages to tell us this important fact.
A sensational heading, worthy of the San
Francisco Chronicle is 1.-The Latent Flame
Bursts Forth" The phrases ''bloody No
loch Of their lusts, "pestiferops embraces
of thousands of white men," add peculiar
dignity to this State document, which is
certainly unique. We are thus gradually
let down till an ugly fling is given to DR.
Aiming. The covert snesr on page - is
in execrable taste, but then good taste is
not the Presidents forte
Finally we reach DIR. Goto, whom Consul
Irwin stated the japanese Government
regarded as quack, butswho. according
to Mr.. Gibson, the President of the Board
of Health, is having some success.
The forty seven pages Of this report are
so much waste paper. They are the lucu-
brations of a man who thinks he under
stands a subject which he has but per
functory knowledge of, and who has not
the proper training to write scientifically
Slip shod and gushing, Astounding in APP
peals to the Deity, to the comforter of
mankind, to the Christian religion. il makes
any man who knows Gibson. the apostate
Mormon, sick, with what from his pen is
blasphemy And this is laid before the
House as Report Truly the House is
very complaisant to receive 1t, and further
to pay for Mr. Gibson's essay out Of the
tax payers pockets.
Far more important is the appendix to
the Leprosy Report. This contains many
original documents from which we will
make extracts, reserving extended com
ment for further occasion.
Appendix A contains the Report of the
Princess Liliuokalani upon the Deper
Asylum. From this we learn something
of the condition of the lepers in 1884, two
years after this administration came into
office.
kailekapu, n leper, said;
Poor food, insufficient as regards quantity, and
want of proper care and nursing. are prominent
among the ills Of which we have to complain.
Onr rations consist of p lbs. of paini. lbs. Of
beef, aud lb. OF sugar per week. OF this lbs.
o. beef, are often made up Of bone, This Is suf 1
hcient for one person only for three days. and the
remaining part of the week he has TO 60 without |
food. Those living at kalaupapa have to travel /
nve miles to get their rations, and there being no
means OF conveyance supplied, such as are too /
feeble to travel that distance, and have neither
horses Of their own to travel on, friends to as
sist them, are often deprived Of food
Kahanapule. leper. said:
I blame the Board OF Health for its larness in
wants which have been literally provided for by /
he Government. Our paiai, for instance, siand. 4
! at Naikolu Gulch, about i've miles distant from
kalaupapa, and the patients Of that part are ne
,esstated TO pack It themselves all that distance.
This is a grievous task to many, while 10 those
who are weak it is an impossibility. The place Of
andine, too is so situated, and the road 20 it i'm
lassable, that in stormy weather travel there be-
icmes actually dangerous. and Mt times pack
lorsee, together with their burdens, have been
Washed away and drowned, and men too have