The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-02-20

the slime; it fingers for years in a
filthy soil, and if the soil is kept filthy
It remains plague-stricken for years.
In honolulu we are polluting the soil
dally, ana nave been for years This |
must De stopped if we wish to stop the /
plague. In the future the soil must not |
be polluted, and the remedy must be |
in the immediate construction Of the
sewer system.
The cultures Of plague which I |
brought from Kobe and Hongkong sew
eral years ago could not be kept by ar
| tifeial means very long; they soon
died. But under natural conditions in
| Hongkong and Kobe the same plague
has existed. We have now a letter
that the plague is again about to be-
come epidemic in Hongkong. Every
year in Hongkong they think they
have suppressed it; but the next year
ut breaks out afresh. l tell you the
plague lives in Hongkong because it is
an insanitary city, and it will live in
Honolulu If we do not construct the
Isewer systematic remedy-at once
With our best efforts | will not feel
safe here for year after the plague
has disappeared. If we continue to pol
lutte the soil we will continue to have
the plague. Wherever there is plague
Iyou will find insanitary conditions.
Once a year the flooding rains clean
the filth out of the streets of Hong
kong; then the plague ceases for a
while, but it turks in the city, and
Isoon breaks out again.
plague patient is not dangerous,
comparatively speaking. Plague is an
infectious disease, but not dangerous
unless carelessly handled or caught
from the soil; it is in the soil the dan
ger lies. Once the soil is infected the
rats become dangerous; they die, but
not all of them, and they carry the
plague to new districts. New genera
tons of rats come in and these catch
the plague from the infected ground.
Sometimes the rats are sick for three
or four weeks before the people of the
district are taken sick.
The case of the girl of today is sug-
! gestiye; she lived in house just back
. of the first house where the patient
; mentioned died. The germs had prob
: ably lived in the ground. / wish to re-
| mind Mr. Gear that it is better to be
t one and half years in getting rid of
/ the plague in the proper way than to
7 have it here ten years. 1t is impera-
< tive that no delay be made. The plague
t is not like the cholera, which contain
mated the water; that could be hand
t led. The plague takes to the soil
S through the excrement; the soil be-
S comes polluted, and, if already filthy
= becomes the home of the disease. Then
/ | it stays. If the Council errs let them
err on the right side and vote to clear
: the Islands of plague. They certainly
t have the authority to do this; it is not
e now question of technicality.
Councillor Isenberg seconded Mr..
f Achi's motion to pass the bill.
: Councillor Robertson asked if the
t Government was satisfied with Her
: ing's plans His system had been
e criticized; was it the proper thing to
adopt for Honolulu. He favored a
t sewer system, but not necessarily Her
It ing's system.
: Minister Cooper explained the pro-
b posed system was all right 1t was
not intended to provide for the storm
e and surface water, like the old sys-
: Item. Hering's system was endorsed
: by the United States engineers.
! Minister Young assured the Council
of State the sewers were the proper
d kind, and explained that the small
: pipes flushed themselves and KEEP
d clean where the larger did not. I'm
s provement must be made in Honolulu
l. or we would be caught by every cpl
Of demic that came along. Large gang
n of men could be put on.
l. Councillor S. K Kane thought tn
present a time of necessity, and woui'
lie vote for Mr.. Achi's motion to pass tn
N BILL
re Councillor Gear stated that when b
re came to the meeting he was opposed t
of 1.-The motion now before the Council
but since he had heard the remarks o
ut DR.. Wood he would support the bill.
IN Councillor Robertson moved to amen
~ the act so as to make it take enec
of upon the approval of the President Q
the United States Carried.
Re Councillor Kaulukou moved that tn
" bill as amended pass. Carried by
a unanimous vote.
Id Minister Damon then brought up tn
so matter of the appropriation OF slO0
It, 600 for the suppression OF the bubonl
re plague. and read the following act:
as An Act of the Council of State.
er An Act Making Special Appropriate
for Payment of Expenses INQUIRE
by the Epidemic of Bubon1
he Plague.
at Be it enacted by the Council OF Stat
he of the Republic of Hawaii:
,e- Section /. The following sun
amounting to $1,000 is hereby al
70 propriated to be paid out OF all IN
at moneys in the Treasury received frol
I'd all the current receipts of the gener'
is revenues of the Republic of Hawai-
Ity To be placed to the credit Of
Ity the fund for the suppress
on sion of bubonic plague ..... $lo0,o'
Gil Mr. Damon stated there were ST
nu $40. 600 of the former appropriate
ne left, but of this amount $1SS,0OO wou
o. be paid out for bills already contract
" VI in the hands of the auditor. The 60
US; eminent now needed further funds
~ suppress the plague. The bill W
passed without argument.
~ Minister Young then made stat
"a ment regarding the lands for the G
"a tention camp. The owners OF the lar
where it could not be leased, h
Iagreed that the Government could