The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-05-17
Twelve Patients Under Treatment
at the Kalihi Hospital.
REST MEANS FOR ITS ERADICATION
Great Development of BacteriOlogy Dur
ing Late Years Has Opened Up Inn
mense Possibilities for the Relief of
the Disease-BulIetin of Progress.

Following is the text of the cir
cular letter prepared by DR.. n. B.
Emerson, Corresponding Score
tary, Committee on Treatment of
Leprosy, and which will be mailed
to physicians abroad:
"The Board of Health of the Ha-
waiian Islands, acting through its
COMMITTEE on the Treatment of
Leprosy,' has lately established a
small hospital at Kalihi, in the
outskirts of Honolulu, and has be-
gun a work which has for it's pur-
pose the solution of the question {:
Is leprosy durable and what are the
best means for its relief and eradi-
cation from the human system
Twelve patients, selected from
the leper colony at Kalawao, on
the island of Molokai, have been
placed under treatment at the Ka-
lihi hospital.
While rigid quarantine Of the
patients will be kept up, it is the
purpose Of the committee to make
their surroundings as comfortable
and healthful as possible. For
this purpose they will be provided
with an abundance of wholesome,
nutritious food, clean bedding in
airy rooms, and the opportunity
for outdoor exercise and recre-
alton.
There will be an abundant
supply of pure water and the use
of hot and medicated baths will be
an important feature of the treat
ment.
The many several remedies
which experience has pointed out
as of use in combating this for
midable disease will be tested in
the treatment Of the patients, and
their efficiency carefully noted.
While not blind to the fact that
the chances are small Of hitting
upon any specific remedy or method
which shall avail for the cure of
leprosy, we do not despair of pro-
gress, and shall feel that the ex-
pertinent has not entirely failed of
its purpose if it only increases our
knowledge Of how to use with
greater precision the agents which
science and experience put into our
hands.
The great development of bac-
teriology of late years has opened
up immense possibilities for the re-
lief of disease. It's special appli-
cation to the treatment of leprosy,
though as yet an untraveled road,
is one that seems on theoretical
grounds to invite trial and to COM
mend itself to our judgment. 1t
will be the purpose of the COM
mittee to enlist the resources of
this branch of medical science in
the study and treatment of the dis
ease at as early a date as possible.
Careful notes have been taken
and photographs made of the patti
ents and will be kept up during
the different stages of the treat
ment.
This experiment is entered upon
in the interest of medical science
and humanity, and as such the
committee is anxious to enlist in
it's aid the interest and intelligent
cooperation of all members of the
medical profession, and invites
suggestions both as to means and
methods from yourself as an inter
ested student of leprosy. It would
be favor to the committee to COM
municate to it the name of any
drug which experience or judg-
ment approves as beneficial against
leprosy.
It is the purpose of the COM
mittee to publish, when the proper
time comes, bulletin or report of
progress regarding its work. In
the meantime it will be thankful to
avail itself of your aid in enabling
it to enlarge its acquaintance with
the photography of leprosy and to
put it in the way Of becoming the
owner of various monographs on
the subject as they are published.
It will be our pleasure to recipro-
cate with like favors.