The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-29
There Can No Longer Be a
Doubt as to the Nature
of the Epidemic.
TEN MEN CONTROL HONOLULU.
But They Are Members Of the
Citizens Central Sanitary
Committee.

Cholera cases to date, So; deaths, 81; re-
ported soon after taken sick, SO; reported
when dying, 10; reported after death, Is;
completely recovered, 8; in hospital, 8.
ationality-Hawaiian, So; American, 3;
part Hawaiian and part negro, 1; Chinese,
1; Japanese, 1.
For the past thirty hours only one case
has been reported, which was at lao
o'clock this morning. A much more hope
full feeling prevails in the community and
every one thinks the strenuous measures
adopted by the Board of Health and the
citizens sanitary committee are having
the desired effect. There is no sickness
among the 300 immigrants brought by the
Rio Janeiro, ana the remaining patients
will likely recover. This is official from
the Board of Health up to the present
writing.
Although the Australia's mail closed at
noon on the 5th inst, it was $3.50 P. NJ.
when she left, the delay being caused by
the large amount of freight still left in
her hold. The Pacific Mail steamer Rio
Janeiro was reported off the harbor at 1:30
P. NJ. The pilot-boat went out to meet
her, but Captain Smith didn't need any
pilot and came right in to the harbor,
cholera or no cholera. He was permitted
to land his saloon passengers and mails
and his Chinese immigrants, the latter
being put ashore at the quarantine island.
He was refused permission to land any
freight until the result of meeting OF the
Board of Health in relation thereto was
made public.
On Sunday morning the board held
special meeting, to which the leading mer-
chants of the city were invited. The adj
visibility Of landing the Rio Janelro
freight was left to the latter and they voted
to the number of forty unanimously
against allowing any freight whatever to
be landed here or on her return trip. This
action was then Endorsed by the board and
the steamers agents notified. Atterward
the vessel was given tie option of seven
days quarantine, at the end OF which she
would be allowed to unload her freight
into hulk. This did not suit Captain
Smith and he left for San Francisco at
once, only giving one hours notice that
he would take mail. Many people were
badly disappointed in not getting mail off
by her. as the next steamer does not leave
till the 18th.
At present the city is governed by COM
mittee of citizens styled the central sani-
tary committee, composed of ten leading
citizens irrespective of politics. They are
W. A. Kinney, A. W. Carter, G. w. Smith,
]. F. Colburn, S. K. Kane, T. B. Nc
Stocker, John E. Bush, L. A. Thurston, E.
G.. Macfarlane and G. L. Hopkins. Under
this committee several hundred volunteers
are working. The committee was organ
lied on Saturday evening and started at
once by ordering complete census made.
While this was going on on Saturday night
the committee divided up the city into
twenty-one districts, each under an inspec-
tor and deputies. On Sunday morning
these inspectors detailed their deputies to
certain streets, and before noon complete
report of house-to-house visitation was
in the hands of the central committee.
This is done twice day since, and will be
continued until the epidemic is over.
Every case of sickness of whatever ma ture,
together with the name Of the physician in
attendance, is now reported twice daily.
If, as in many cases, the parties are too
poor to employ doctor one is sent to ex-
anime the case Immediately the report is
received.
OF course the central committee and all
under it are working in connection with
and under the direct authority of the
Board of Health, but its formation relieves
the latter of vast amount of work and re-
sponsibility and allows it to devote its
whole time to other matters.
The house-to-house visitation develops
state of affairs that should have been at
tended to long ago. Hundreds of defect
i've, neglected and filthy closets have been
reported to the committee and orders given
to have them cleaned out at once.
There seems to be no further doubt that
the present epidemic is the true Asiatic
cholera. Even the Chinese and Japanese
doctors, who have been the most skeptical
in the matter, now acknowledge it to be so
since victims of their own races have been
attacked and they could do nothing to
help them.
The Bennington and Olympia are both
at Johanna, the old whaling port on the
island of Maui. All are we'll on board both
ships. The Olympia cannot get away
until she takes on 1000 tons of coal, but
Captain Reed will not take any chances of
the cholera, and will wait for his coal until
oil danger is over.