The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-09-30
Did People Of Maui Act in Health
Matters.
THEY WERE Nor PANIC STRICKEN.
Followed Methods OF EngIaHd-HanR
Residents Pass Resolutions aud Make
Rules-Kahuiui Board Explains Its
Position in the Premises

| MIR. EDIToR:-In view of recent
articles in your paper in which it has
been said that we people of Maui have
| shown ourselves to be panic-stricken
| and blind to everything but our own
fears, in that landing was refused to
the passengers of the Claudine, n few
words in our defense may not come
amiss.
Our health committee, acting with
an authority clearly granted to it by
the Board of Health and in no sense
''in defiance" to that body took this
action because they believed it to be
more in accord with reason and char
ity dn both of which virtues our de-
tractors say we are lacking) to slight
ly inconvenience thirty-six persons
than to endanger the lives of thous-
sands. Sixteen of these passengers
were native Hawaiians, who might
very probably have carried infection
in their clothing. That we doubted
the absolute efficacy of the fumiga-
ton process to which their effects had
been subjected in Honolulu does not
appear so unreasonable when Koch,
who knows more about the matter
than any other man living, has stated
that the only certain method of des-
troying all the bacilli in clothing is
the use of superheated steam; sulphur
which was used in this case, not being
perfectly certain disinfectant.
Neither is it unreasonable to demand
fifteen days quarantine when Eng
land at the present time requires as
much OF all travellers from Mecca,
cholera city. We on Maui do not
think that we know more on the sub
ject than the English health authori-
ties, nor do L think really weIl-inform-
ed persons would heap abuse upon us
for adopting the English regulations.
Having decided upon a fifteen days
quarantine, we should have been glad
to allow them to complete the requir-
ed period on shore, but there simply
was no suitable place. The race track
stables, which were proposed by Mr..
Andrews, were low, damp, and thor
oughly unfit. Therefore, although we
felt extremely sorry for the teachers
and other official and unofficial per-
sons on board the Claudine, there
seemed no other alternative but 10
send them on their way.
This action was at least more con-
sistent than that of the Hilo people,
who drove off the American tourists,
VINO could have brought no possible
contaglon and then quarantined the
Claudine people in the worst possible
Of places, for all authorities agree that
water Is the most dangerous dissem-
Inator of the disease. The HiIo peo-
pie, however, were very kind to our
friends, and for that we are grateful.
The account in the ADVERTISERS
which relates that when the boat ap-
preached the Kahului wharf there
vas conference in which those on
he boat delivered themselves of much
ucld reasoning, while those on shore
alked violently of ''guns," etc, gives
. wrong impression. The only men
ion Of "guns" emanated from q man
IN the boat who said that the promo
ltion had come up before the Homo
uIu authorities OF compelling land
ng by the use of troops, which
proposition, he was good enough to
ay, had been finally rejected. This
tatement was believed by no one and
las since been denied from headquar-
ers; but it, with other similar argu-
1ents, has the effect of perceptibly
the passengers cause.
All this bitterness and hard feeling
ould easily have been avoided by
ending ahead q steamer loaded with
lpplies, and by awaiting its report
eIore taking action. If, as is prOba-
le, the authorities knew that the Ha-
,aii was then on its way down from
laui, why didn't they wait to see
hat news she brought concerning
le state Of feeling on the other
Stands, instead of rushing off eighty
yo souls on trip which promised so
/? MAUIENsIs.
Haiku, Maui, Sept. 25, 1895.