The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-11-22

ring TO the physical and mental char
acteristics OF the natives. DR.. Morrow
says: The Topographic effects OF
introduced diseases in a virgin soil can
nowhere better be studied, and they
exhibit facts of the most remarkable
interest The natives have proven
strangely susceptible TO the diseases
OF civilized life, and trifling ailments,
such as measles. whOoping-cough, etc.
acquire by their transportation into
this soil all the virulence OF a fatal
peStilence. Measles and whooping
cough, introduced in 1S49. almost deci-
mated the population; the mortality
was excessive, almost every case term
mating fatally. The rayages OF small
pox, introduced in 1858. were none the
less frightful In the island of Oahu
over fifteen thousand died. and the
Marshal of the Islands informed me
that he superintendent the burial of ten
thousand victims of this disease in Ho-
nolulu alone-more than one-half of
its entire population.
That matters have not changed
much for the better in this respect an
article by DR.. Burnside Foster. in the
North American Review OF September
last, would seem To demonstrate. DR..
Foster says: "Leprosy up to 1S49 was
unknown in the Sandwich Islands. at
which date il was introduced by two
Chinese sailors, and the disease has
spread so rapidly that at the present
time nearly ten per cent Of the Ha-
waiian natives are lepers."
DIR. Osler takes exception to these
extreme views of the prevalence of the
disease, but there seems to be no
doubt that its ravaSeS are very extern
sive. Although the Iepra bacillus was
discovered by Hansen so long ago a
1874, our knowledge with regard to its
| etiology has advanced but little.
authorities are. however. unanimously
agreed as to its conJagiouSness.
These being the facts OF the case.
what steps should be taken by the
government of this country to prevent
! the spread and to endeavor tn stamp
out the disease, root and branch? DIR.
| Foster. in the article referred To above.
/ emphasizes the necessity of creating a
| department of public health, with a
! Minister in the Presidents Cabinet.
I and also suggests the appointment OF
| Il Ieprosy commission TO Investigate
the disease on the spot. and TO make
so far as is possible. an accurate cen
| sus of the lepers OF Hawaii, and to see
| that all infected persons are complete
4 - t-sAlCN ihttt II, yet auOlurr
| important point to be considered 20
| which DR.. Foster draws attention.-
that the Government must educate the
prophetic soldiers, civil servants
and those who go to Hawaii for COM
mercial purposes and who are likely to
be brought into contact with lepers-
| in regard to the dangers OF infection
and the precautions necessary to BE-
taken. The end in view should be the
| total extinction of ieprosy. This re-
suit can be attained only by the com
plete segregation OF those afflicted
which is impossible until our knowl-
edge of the etiology of the disease is
| more precise and accurate than at
presene. Therefore, the first move on
the part OF the United States should
be the immediate appointment OF a
properly organized and equipped bac-
THEOLOGICAL commission. To devise
means TO extinguish the foul disease
of leproSy would rebound as much to
the glory and credit Of America as did
the discovery of vaccination to Eng
land or the discovery of the principle
| OF serum immunization to France