The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-12-14
FUTURE HEALTH REGULATIONS

The local Board of Health is an ex-
cellent body so far as it goes but il
does not go quite far enough. It's
force is not so large nor it's organiza-
ton so complete as the needs OF a
trOpic seaport and of Islands where
leprosy yet prevails would seem to re-
quire. Whatever fault there is. as we
wish 20 be understood. is not one of
personnel but of law. In the beginning
the Board was made a bureau of the
Attorney Generals office with that
busy official in full charge. Surely
there is enough TO do in the local De-
/ partment of Justice without worrying
over problems of sanitation; there is
enough to care for on the part of the
guardians Of the public health without
| fretting over the general work of
courts. How often it happens that
the newspapers have to print items
/ like this. There was no meeting of
the Board OF Health today. the Attor-
4
perly organized the Board would be
able TO do its duty at the appointed
times and between times no matter
who might be engaged in litigation.
In brief the Board of Health should he
a department by itself, presided over
by man, experienced in working out
sanitary and hygienic problems, who
has nothing else to do; a man like w.
%. Smith or II. E. Cooper in executive
capacity, but one having no other pub
lie duties than those embraced in his
craftsmanship.
Such Board would, to meet the ex-
igencies of situation like that of Ho- |
nolulu, have TO keep busy all the time /
Is II not absurd that there should |
never be thorough cleansing of our ,
Oriental quarter save when some emer- |
gency occurs? Places were being
cleaned up yesterday which should |
never have been allowed TO get dirty. |
II was perhaps the first overhauling
they had got since the cholera cpl
demic For months and years filth +
has been accommodating in Chinatown
and the wonder is that the place has
kept such fair record of health. i
Agent Reynolds could not be every
where; the Attorney General could not
see everything or go about all the
time smelling of things. But surely
there ought to have been several peo-
pie charged with such work and con-
at it. Had there been, the
cholera and bubonic germs might not
have found a congenial place to tester
in
Under the coming new dispensation
Of government we shall hope for
change in Health Board conditions
which will bring the sanitary service
Of Honolulu well abreast that of the
best regulated Mainland cities. Then
We shall keep the town clean-not
make il clean when we get scared:
hen garbage will be burned, not
Jumped near the highway TO breed a
'eStilence: then every householder
will be required either to burn kitchen
'ffal or deliver it to scavengers In :
rat good time there will be no place
within the inhabited radius where the
odorless eXcavators" can discharge
heir odoriferous cargoes, nor will ORR
ntals be permitted to import and sell
he decaying stuff they call food. A :
enement law will provide that only G
% many people may occupy so many
ubic feet of space. thus abolishing the I
warming human hives of Chinatown
There, if disease gets a foothold, it is
q hard to dislodge it. The city will
e cut up into districts for the clean
mess of which some paid inspector
ill be held responsible. Such reforms
nay cost much money but they are =
astly cheaper than epidemics, even 7
rhen the epidemic is only just severe n
nough TO stop trade for while and e
care away tourists.
Properly regulated Honolulu ought
, be one of the healthiest cities in the
-orld especially after the sewers are q
II in It's climate is salubrious; its y
alter is good to drink; the ocean into O