The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-05-08
MOST NIRULENT FORMS HAVE
DEVELOPED.
Bone Meal Seepage from the Planta-
tions Suggested as One Cause
Board of Health Appealed to.

HILO, May 5.-A virulent epidemic
of typhoid fever prevails in Hilo. There
have been several deaths and large
number of cases. The seriousness of
the situation has thoroughly aroused
the pu0lic, and Wednesday commun-
ication was sent to the Board of
Health by citizens asking that body to
investigate the cause and suggest If
possible, remedy. The next day the
board made a reply, signed by DR.. w.
l.. Moore, l.. A. Andrews, r. A. Lyman,
Charles Merx and DR.. II. b. Williams,
in which the board says:
1t is our opinion that the water sup
ply is one of the main causes of the
sickness in town.
We urgently advise boiling water
used for either drinking or preparing
food. 1t is unsafe to cool water thus
prepared by putting ice into it, as the
water is obtained from the same
source and freezing it does not de-
stroy the germs. The water may read
lily be cooled in bottles placed on ice.
We're it possible, it would be wise
to obtain the city water from "A source
above the cultivated area. This would
require a large expenditure of money,
a special appropriation and would be
long in coming.
Boiling and filtering the water is
the only safeguard at present.
Other factors, in the shape of un-
drained areas, cesspools, etc, about
town, contribute their full share in
producing an unhealthy condition
which we are trying to remedy
The Hilo Tribune will say editorial
y tomorrow:
1--WE are. however, inclined to think,
from the testimony of physicians. that
the various. form of typhoid which pre-
vail are due to the poisoning of the
city water supply. either by impuri-
ties coming from the cane fields or
from the sewerage of the town.
''ln the meantime there have de-
veIoped in Hilo, types of typhoid fever
of virulence hitherto unknown in
Hawaii, and similar to that found amid
the most unsanitary condition of army
camps in localities where the fever
naturally fourishes much more vigor-
ously than in Hawaii"
The Hawaii Herald in its last issue
says editorially:
''If it is true that the prevalence of
typhoid fever in Hilo is due to the
contamination of the water supply by
bone meal sepage from the cane fields
then it behooves the government 10
take prompt action and remedy the
evil. The remedy, it would seem, is
within the hands of the government
by way of appropriating sufficient
money to lay iron pipes from the head
waters of the stream which supplies
water for drinking purposes.
Some of the local physicians attrl-
butte the cause of so much illness in
Ililo at the present time to the char
acter of the drinking water used. AS
the illness is confined mainly to the
residents of Hilo proper the theory
may be correct. AS result of agita-
ton the work of draining the Waiola-
ma ponds has been pushed vigorously
and all the time this work has been
going on the number of fever patients
has increased. 1t is probable that the
conultion of the drinking water has
much to do with the unhealthy condi-
ton of the people, but it is possible,
too, that the stirring up of the mud
in the ponds has contributed toward
it.
"Puueo is happily free from sick
ness and this rather strengthens the
opinion that the infection in the town
proper may be traced to the water
supply. Residents of Puueo get water
from the mountain.
Among the individuals mentioned
by the Hilo papers as being i'll with
typhoid are Jack Collins of the Hilo
Electric works, Captain Alleman of the
Salvation Army, three children of Mr..
and Mrs. j. G. Pratt, John Wise, and
a number of japanese. Among the
deaths from it have been those of Miss
Nellie Wise, and two japanese.