The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1900-10-27
SERIOUS PROTEST
TO BOARD OF HEALTH
CONTINUED From First Page.l
Kaahumanu school, Oct. %, 1905

kaahumanu school, Oct -, f?ep.
Mr. A t. Atkinson. Superintendent os
Public Instruction
Sir-Afy attention has been called 10
passage IN DR.. Towards letter to the
president OF the board of health relative
TO the examination and vaccination Of
children in this school which seems 70
call for explanation. Shortly before Dr.
Towards first visit. Mrs. John Markham
came to me to talk about her children
She said that she did not wish her chill
dren vaccinated in the school, but if Il
must lie done she wished 20 haze her
regular fan,ily physician attend TO the
matter | told her that | had nothing 10
supposed size would have TO have it done
She asked me 20 report to her Il such
was the case. and not tc haye the children
yaccinated in school. | reported the con.
versafion to pr. Howard and he agree,i
that Fla children shogld not be vaccin-
ated here. Later he did yaccinate one
of these children and seemed TO NE to
make light OF the matter when | told him
what he had done. As there was a good
deal OF confusion in the room, owing TO n
kind OF panic which his work had pro-
dtced upon the little fellows, | assumed
that the vaccination OF this boy was
mistake. So ] reqGesteD ain 10 find out
the names of the children before vaccin-
the work went on. Shortly after | went
where Inc was and found him on the
point OF vaccinating another Of the Marx
ham boys called his attention 10 the
matter and be again seemed to ME TO re-
fuse 10 consider the matter seriously.
then told him that if he got himself
prosecuted for vaccinat.ne the boy he
had vaccinated he wou.>- get what he de-
served and what he weGid get if tie
child were mine. But this remark was
made without any reference TO the vac
cinations in general. but only with refer
ence to the vaccination of the Markham
boy This DR. Howard viii be able 70
recall.
As to the threat that | would make
complaint of his manner of examining
the pupils, the doctor probably inferred
this from my using the word protest"
What | said was that on his representa-
ton that the pupils of the High School
and all the other schools had been ex-
amined in the manner he wished | would
submit under protest, as | did not con
slider it proper.
am pleased to note that DIR. Wool
does not consider it necessary that the
boys of room be stripped TO the waist
all together. as this is what I did not
proper, and it was on this point
that DIR. Howard and l differed
Yours very truly.
HENRY S. TOWNSEND, Principal
There the epistolary battle ends, for
the present though Superintendent A.
kinsoh will undoubtedly reply to the
letter of DR.. Wood, which was not re-
ceived with favor by the members of the
board. though some of its features fur
nished occasion for several members of
the board to indulge in sarcasm.
The board feels very seriously on this
subject and the members did not hesitate
to express themselves freely in reference
TO what they considered the indicate,
if not absolutely indecent, conduct of
DIR. Howard.
The attitude assumed by Superinten'l
emit Atkinson in his letter TO DIR. Wood |
was fully sustained and it was declared |
that the stripping of the boys even to
the waist only. by classes should not be |
tolerated The opinion prevailed that |
DIR. Howard was amply paid to take MI |
the time needed to make these examina- |
lions in deliberate and decent manner |
aRG that under no circumstances were |
the delicate susceptibilities. so charming |
in sl.e youns. to be tolerated without pro-
test.
The vaccination of the children dill |
lot receive much attention. it being con-
'idered a secondary matter in compari- |
,on with the stripping of classes of boys |
or medical examination an act posi-
by as detrimental to their health as j,
vas indicate.