The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-02-28

QUARANTINE.

The report of our representative who
visited the Quarantine Station yesterday
morning is perfectly satisfactory as far as
it goes, the more so as it substantially
comedies with the verdict of the ''Bul-
letin," that journal having dispatched a
representative the previous day ON
similar errand. 1t appears that pro-
vision is made for the reception of two
distinct classes-Asiatic coolies and the
ordinary steerage passengers, and the
respective quarters are on the whole
superior to what such persons are pro-
vided with at sea. They have much
more elbow room, a better supply of
fresh air and pure water, and infinitely
more liberty than within the narrow
limits of a ship. Assuming the universal
cleanliness of which our reporter speaks
TO be the normal condition, which we
have no reason to doubt, their quarters
in this respect can scarcely be inferior to
what they experienced on the voyage
Saloon passengers who may be consigned
TO the Quarantine Station will undoubt-
eddy find marked diminution of luxury,
after leaving such vessels, for example,
as those of the Oceanic Steamship Com
pany but we fail to see that it is incum-
bent on the Government to provide
first-class hotel If this were done a
charge might be made for such
as cared to avail themselves of
it, but the enforcement of quar-
antine law is such a very occasional
occurrence that the investment would in
all probability prove an Improbable
one. A more rational method OF pro-
viding better accommodation for those
who might desire to pay for it would be
to allow them to order such things as
they needed from town. Separate cot
tages are available in considerable num-
bers; additional furniture may be hired,
delicacies may be purchased and sent
over daily. AS far as we know there
would be no obstacle to an arrangement
OF this kind, especially as the use of the
telephone by quarantined passengers is
understood to be unrestricted.
But whilst we have no objections to
offer 20 the arrangements at the Quaran-
tine Station, we still take exception, as
we have already done in a former issue,
to the system of attempting to segregate
houses in the midst of the CITY for the
accommodation of saloon passengers.
There is very strong presumptive evil
dence that this part OF the business was
inefficient If anything is worth doing
at all it is worth doing we'll. The sequel
has shown that these precautions were
unnecessary, but no one knew that be-
forehand, and it was therefore the duty
of the Board of Health, in view of the
undeniable risk involved, to enforce the
observance of quarantine. But what if
the sequel had been otherwise? What
If smallpox had broken out in every one
OF the six or seven houses proclaimed as
temporary places of quarantine in some
OF the most populous localities, or even
In one or two of them? Such a contin-
gency was at least possible, and had it
eventuated it is by no means improbable
that the disease would have spread. If
consideration for the feelings of saloon
passengers is to prevent their being sent
TO the recognized Quarantine Station. it
should at least not be permitted to mill
Late against the public safety. We
mink 1t would have been feasible under
the circumstances to obtain houses in
isolated suburban districts, and this
would have been preferable.
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