The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-02-13
BOARD OF HEALTH.
Conference on the Question of Its
Reorganization.

Damon, Nlce-BreSldent OF the Pro-
visional Government, a conference
was held last Thursday evening at
the residence of Hon. A. Young, be-
tween committee of the Govern
ment, the Board of Health, and
members of the medical faculty.
Through the courtesy of Mr.. Damon
and Mr.. j. B. Castle, Secretary of
the Executive and Advisory Coun-
ellis, the BULLETIN has been given the |
use of the official report of the con-
ference.
Present: Doctors Andrews, Lyons,
Rodgers, Wood, j. S. McGrew, H. G.
McGrew, Stangenwald, McKibbin,
Miner and Emerson; Messrs. David
Dayton (the President), j. O. Carter
and j. T. Waterhouse (members) of |
the Board of Health, and Damon,
Young and McChesney of the joint
Council. Mr.. McChesney was chair
man of the conference.
Mr.. Damon, being called on, gave |
statement of the object of the
meeting. In preliminary remarks
he expressed his sense of the
valuable services the Board of
Health had rendered the commun-
ity, especially in the past few
years. That meeting had not been
convened with the object of chang
ing the Board, but of assisting
it and increasing its usefulness.
The especial idea was if possible to
gain light on the subject and parti-
cularly from the medical fraternity.
| Whatever assistance the doctors
could give was of course to be volun-
tary. There was no chance of remu-
neration for it. The Board now
consisted of five members, four serv-
ing without pay Its work could be
divided into three departments
| U, the health and sanitation of
Honolulu, (2), the appointment and
advisory control of physicians and
agents and employees in the outer
districts, and (3), the control and
management of the Leper Settle
ment at Molokai. Under the control
of the Board are sixty-seven persons,
comprising physicians, superinten-
dents, nurses and salaried
help, at an average monthly
pay roll of about $1,000
not counting the pay of helpers at
the Settlement. The general ex-
penses of the Board, including for
medicines, food, etc, amounted to
$4,000 month, so that it costs in
the neighborhood of $l4 900 month,
$685. 900 year, to conduct the Board.
Mr.. Damon paid high tribute to
the work of the Franciscan Sisters,
who are doing nurse and housekeep-
ing duties at the Malulani hospital,
Koloa hospital, Kapiolani Home and
Kalihi receiving station, as we'll as
at the Settlement. In conclusion
Mr.. Damon asked for suggestions as
to improvement in the Board, whe-
ther it should be increased and
whether there should not be one or
two physicians in it's composition.
Mr.. Young had received tele-
phone message from DIR. Trousseau,
Port Physician, who had to go out
to the steamer Monowai, saying he
thought there ought to be at least
two physicians on the Board.
Mr.. Dayton announced that after
next day there would be two vacan-
cies on the Board, caused by the re-
tirement of Messrs. Parker and Col,
burn, who declined to take the oath
!. of allegiance in the prescribed
twenty days.
= DR.. j. S. McGrew called on DR.
e Emerson, as Secretary of the Ha
= waiian Medical Association lately
organized, to give statement of the
t conclusions formed by that body.
DR.. Emerson read paper contain
It ing the views of the Association, tc
the following effect: The Board Of
Health should be composed of sever
members. Three of them should be
# medical men. Another three should
: be the Minister of the Interior, the
Y Acknowledgement and the Superin
e tendent of Public Works. The Min
n lister of the Interior, 'because he j:
acquainted and has experience il
those very things in which the oper
t ations of the Board of Health lie
. the Attorney-G General, because the
Board should always guard itself by
proceeding in legal manner; anc
: the Superintendent of Public Works
because by his nature he deals anc
has to do with that sort of work which
enters into the operations of the
Board of Health, SO far as the Boart
{. of Health deals in engineering, sani
tary engineering, etc" The mem
bers of the Board should be appoint
ed by the Executive Council and serv'
without pay. A President should b.
: appointed by the Board from it
= own number, and he should act a
+ presiding officer and be the mouth
' piece of the Board; Vice-Presiden
: might also be appointed to act il
n the absence of the President. 1t wa
e the unanimous opinion of the Medi
cal Association that the Presiden
:. should be unpaid, and should no
Il perform executive functions, but a
IS executive officer should be appoint
l. ed. They favored a suggestion tina
,e one person might perform the con
a. bined duties of executive officer an
port physician.
n DIR. Miner explained that the sue
IS gestion to have the port physicia
as executive officer was in order t
pay a man enough SO that he coul
r afford to give up private practice
- They deemed that the executive off
'r Ger should be a medical man, and h
r. | did NOT think that pna noul6 ha nj