The Daily bulletin., 1889-06-25
THE lEpER SETTLEMENT.
General Report Of the Resident
Physician.

General Report of the Resident
Physician.
Following is q report of DIR. Swift,
resident physician on Molokai, just
received by the Board of Health:-
To TIE BOARD OF HEALTH, HoNo-
LULU,
Gentlemen.--I respectfully sub
nit the following statement by way
of general report. My appoint
ment as physician to the Leper Set
tlement dates from July /, 1888.
Since that time / have noticed a
marked improvement in the health,
comfort and general hygienic condi-
ton of the people, and l have
reason to believe that the number Of
deaths occurring at the Settlement
between the above Date and the date
of this report, in proportion to the
population, will compare favorably
with any like period Of consecutive
months, since the Settlement was
first established. This 1 attribute
10 the conditions before mentioned.
Proportionately the death rate at
Kalawao exclusive of the Hospital
has been much greater than at Ka-
laupapa.
During the months of April, May
and June of last year, the number of
deaths at Kalawao, in and around
Father Damien's, was, as l have
been informed, something fearful.
At this time the Settlement was Sc
verely scourged by an epidemic
which 1 believe was typho-maiarial
fever. My incumbency commenced
before the epidemic had wholly dis
appeared, and / base this opinion
on my experience of such eases as
came under my own observation.
The Hospital at Kalawao has been
directly under my charge. When l
first entered upon my duties at this
establishment | found the place any
thing but what one would suppose
an hospital to be. Most of the in
mates had been attracted to the
place through motives other than
the obtaining of medical treatment.
1 discharged quite number and
permitted only those to remain who
were helpless or who appeared tc
need constant medical treatment,
and since that time none have been
admitted that were not in every
sense of the word eligible subjects.
At the present time the inmates
number 25. These are well fed,
well clothed, and have excellent
sleeping accommodation. Two OF
more natives act rs nurses, and
find that they attend to their duties
properly. l have considered it my
duty to hold myself in readiness tc
respond to sick call at any time
and in addition l have office hours
at Kalawao Dispensary from 8 a. m
till IL or IL daily, at which place
the average daily attendance is Is
exclusive of those that come to leave
orders for calls. Such as neec
medicines, surgical treatment, Oh
| sOle uieSoihS, aiC "ulohpSo W ohSi
and there. A half-white boy act
as my assistant, and during my alb
sence dispenses medicines from
stock bottles, etc.
Daily, or, at least, 5 days pc
week, visits are made to the boys
establishment at Kalawao, and sucl
cases as need it are prescribed for
At Kalaupapa, where a new ant
fully equipped dispensary has beel
opened, hold clinic from 3 o'clocl
till 5 or 6 p. M, and have dali,
attendance of 25. During the fore
noon an intelligent native attends t.
the dispensing of medicines, etc.
from stock bottles. Immediatel
before dispensary hours at Kalau
papa, visits are made to the ''Bisho
Home for Girls" and such medi
cines, ETC., as may be necessary ar
supplied from the Kalaupapa Dis
pensary.
am, Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
SIDNEY BOURNE SWIFT.