The Hawaiian gazette., 1886-08-31

SaiSTy. The PRESIDENT however. proposed
to hamper DR. Awnings work IN such
manner that the doctor refused to carry on
his Investigations under the conditions
proposed and returned to Germany.
The opinions of the outside world upon
this matter are now beginning to come in.
The British Medical Journal reviews at
length DR.. Awnings report and speaks
most highly of it, and also of the doctors
capabilities for the Investigations he had
undertaken. Our readers will see clearly
how the Medical Journdl views this matter
by the following quotation:
whilst perusing this extremely valuable report,
we have observed, with surprise and regret, that,
account of some friction between DR.. Aiming
and the President of the Honolulu Board of Health,
there is possibility of these important researches
being hampered or even discontinued. On the
merits of the in connection with these differ
ences 1t Is not for US, at this distance, 10 enter
but We earnestly appeal to the Honolulu Govern
ment, in the interests of science and humanity to
take q wide view of the situation. In DIR. Aiming,
they may be assured they have secured the assist
ance of gentleman who has the confidence OF
those European pathologists whose opinion Is most
valuable; and even if they could replace him by
man equally trained and able, matter that would
BY no means be easy the loss of his experience OF
the disease could not be replaced. 1t would be
another two years before the best man they could
DR.. Aiming now Is, TO pursue these Investigations
with q chance of success. We can assure them
that in difficult studies of this kind, two years Is
but very short time; and whilst we would urge
them not to be too impatient as to results we &C
knowledge, with thankfulnesS, that what DR.. Arm
ing has already done is full of promise for the tu-
ture. As to the exact conditions in which DR.. Arm
ing should work. that gentleman should, we plead,
be allowed great liberty; and even If proposed con-
ditions should not always commend themselves TO
the Board. we would urge, in consideration OF the
great objects TO be attained the exercise of gen.
erous indulgence. We cannot think that money
considerations have much TO do with these unfor-
tunate differences; but, should We be mistaken, We
would suggest appeal for assistance to the great
civilized governments of Europe, and more partic-
ularly to the English Government, amongst whose
Indian subjects leprosy causes much misery
Compare these two statements concern
ing DR.. Awnings report The hippant,
narrow minded style of the President of
the Board of Health, or rather of his Sec
rotary, and the broad view taken by the
Medical Journal. According to the Secre-
tary's letter, the President considers the
report incomplete and inconclusive, and
not such one as might be anticipated
after two years of special labor" That is
the view of the layman.. The layman who
the other day in the House of Representa-
tives, stated that though Hawaiian kahu
mas might practice some sorcery with their
attempted cures, yet their attendance upon
patients might result in good; they were
worth trying The trained medical thinker,
on the other hand, speaks of the report as
most valuable" and adds as advice, I'VE
can assure them, that in difficult studies
of this kind, two years is but very short
time" and I'VE acknowledge, with thank
fulness, that what DR.. Aiming has already
done is full of promise for the future"
And then. If money is in question, an ap
peal for funds to the European Govern
ments Is suggested.
Now, there never was any question OF
funds. DR.. Aiming might have stad on
here without costing the Hawaiian Gov
eminent single cent, but that was, to the
President, of the Board of Health, not a
matter for consideration. His dismissal
of DR. Aiming was because he told the
truth in his report, and would not gloss
over the shortcomings of the Board-the
fact that the clothes of lepers were washed
outside of the hospital by friends, who
were healthy, and the improper disposal
of dead bodies of lepers, was not one that
the President cared to go on record. es-
pecially as his attention had been again
anu again cdlIeu 10 IHeSe iUdtteTo- AuOIueI
thing which the President regarded incon-
elusive and incomplete was that he per
sonally, received no praise, there was no
fulsome fattery, such as the egregious
vanity of the man hungered for.
The chickens are coming home to roost-
The Hawaiian Government had an oppor
tunity of making mark in the world, of
being held up as an example of a govern
ment that spared no pains or means to dis
cover cure for the disease which was
injuring its population; it might have
even become the benefactor of the teeming
millions of India and China. And it has
thrown this chance away, and in place of
the cultured and specially trained Eu-
ropean gentleman, has taken up Japan
csc so called doctor, whom Consul Irwin
himself regarded as quaek