The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-10-22

not be occupied while the land is in its
present condition. The petitioner was
instructed to find some convenient
place 10 move the houses and the Board
would do what it could for him.
Reports were read from government
physicians at Hong Kong, Yokohama
and Annoy,
Reports from Dr. Monsarrat OF ex-
aminations under the act to mitigate
as we'll as the slaughter house were
read and filed. Mr.. Keliipio's report
On fish inspection was filed.
Three letters from Supt. Meyers of
the leper settlement were read and
several items of interest discussed The
one of Importance relative to the pur-
chase of q boiler to be used for the pur-
! pose of heating water for the baths was
| handed to g. B. Reynolds to secure the
best boiler possible for the purpose at
the most reasonable price.
Deputy-Sheriff Scott of Maui was ap-
| pointed agent of the Board for that
/ island
A letter from F. A. Schaefer, secre-
t&ry of the board of trustees of the
Queens Hospital, relative to the treat
ment of gov ernment patients, includ-
ing patients under the act to miti-
gate was. read. The Board was
of the opinion that the board
of trustees had not carefully read
the appropriation bill. The amount
| OF $40, 900 was appropriated to the hos
! pital, provided government patients
would be treated free. 1t seems that
| objections have been made by the trus-
tees to treat members of the military
! free. This being the case it was hard
| to say what the trustees considered
| government patients"
The report of DR.. Wayson on affairs
at Insane Asylum as the physician re-
ported the asylum in a crowded con-
dition, the asylum committee was
asked to visit the place and report at
the next meeting.
Application of G. T. Al for position
under the Board was read and filed
Accommodation was read from Mons
Voisson. Commissioner from France, re-
garding the advisability of having two
scientists from the Pasteur Institute
come here to study leprosy. The Com
missioner asked if the Hawaiian Gov
ernment would furnish help and con-
tribute toward the expense attached to
their coming here. Matter referred to
leprOsy committee.
DR.. divers report from the settle
ment was read and placed on file
The following from DR.. N. Russell
w. read;
-"
The prevention of contagious and in
fectiouS diseases. increase in import
ance with our growing commercial re-
lations with Asiatic ports. While the
efficiency of our quarantine service has
been greatly improved, other prevent
i've measures have been somewhat
neglected. This is particularly true of
vaccination. The children who attend
the Government schools are, as a rule,
vaccinated, but those under years of
age, and the great majority of the
adult population of the Republic, pos
sess little or no immunity against
smallpox.
If the real advantages of vaccination
were better known, very few people
would fail to profit by the great dis
covery which the immortal Jenner gave
TO the world at the end of the last cen
.tury.
Vaccination has been practiced all
over the world for hundred years,
and has amply proved that when prop
erly performed it confers a high degree |
of immunity against smallpox.
In the early days of vaccination it |
was believed that this immunity lasted |
a lifetime, but further experience |
shows that, while the protection of a
single vaccination never disappears en-
tirely, after variable number of years
the individual may contract a mild |
form of smallpox (varioloid) if he is
exposed to the infection. 1t is unrea-
sonable to expect protection for the
remainder of life from a single Vacci- |
nation, when an attack of smallpox
does not always confer such absolute
and lasting immunity. Many well au-
thenticated cases have been reported
of smallpox attacking the same indi-
Vidual twice. or even three times.
Vaccination has divested smallpox
of much of the Importance It had in the
two previous centuries, when it rank
ed first among the acute affections de-
of human life. 1t is always
very fatal to new races, and it would |
carry away good portion of our ma
tive population because they lack the |
immunity which other races have in
herited from previous generations of |
people successfully vaccinated.
Smallpox is very seldom fatal in |
those protected by vaccination, while |
in those totally unprotected the NOR |
tality ranges from 80 to 40 per cent in |
the mild forms. The continent, hemOr- |
rhagic and other malignant forms are |
most always fatal. When smallpox at |
tacks the eyes or the ears it often pro- |
duces blindness or deafness.
Although vaccination is one of the |
greatest blessings which the medical |
profession has given TO the world, it |
does not lack a few opponents. Their |
arguments may be reduced to this: |
That in the operation Of vaccination |
we may convey other diseases besides |
cow-poX. Such accidents must be rare, |
and can happen only in countries |
where arm to arm vaccination is prac- !
ticed.
No danger whatever need be appre- |
hended in these Islands, since the law |
fOrbids the use of human virus for |
vaccination. The bovine race is exempt |
from two of the three diseases which |
might possibly be transmitted by vac |
ciuatiOn, namely, syphilis and leprOsy. |
While the third disease (tuberculOsis) |
is exceedingly rare in very young |