The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-04-07
WORK BEGIN.

The work that has been done for the
Hospital of Incurables is appreciated
upon the other Islands, as a letter,
published in Yesterdays Star shows. In
years past the writer who cloaks his
name under observer" has done his
best to forward the good cause. And
now that a true beginning has been
Star is with him.
The establishment of such an institu-
ton has been a crying need for years.
But however great the crying need, the
community turned deaf ears to the pro-
posal. That there were awful cases of
living death people would acknowledge
and if the matter came right under
| their noses, they would drop a dollar or
a five dollar piece, and pass by on the
other side, like the priest and the Lee
vite, and leave to the good practical
Samaritan all the work, and the hust-
ling around to pay the innkeeper's bill.
But We in Honolulu, are a better peo-
pie than we are given credit for. We
know what the limits of poverty are,
and we try to help to the very utmost
of our ability And is not work in this
direction of helping the poor and des-
titute and sick, the most Christ like
thing that a christian can do when he
has money and means?
1t is natural to like ease and hand
some houses, and clothes, and all the
attributes OF wealthy life. Why should
not we spend when the money rolls in
upon us? Why should we not have the
fullest enjoyment of life? Why should
we worry over the unsuccessful and
those who have fallen by the waysde
There is no reason why attention should
be paid, says Dives often. But-even
the veriest heather, even the worst
christian recognizes that the highest
attribute of humanity is to administer
to the sick and the incapable.
1t is this idea which has brought into
cooperation the work of people of va
the Hospital for Incurables. That the
institution will be a permanent one The
Star feels assured Mr.. Young's noble
offer will eventually be met, but mean
while the smaller subscriptions are en-
abling the officers of the hospital to
mense amount of good.
1t is only by personal investigation
that anyone can realize what a crying
need there has been for this hospital
The incurable sick are frequently and
terribly neglected by their relatives
The other day a poor creature was
brought to the hospital in a dreadful
state. He had been helpless for years
and had been completely neglected
When he arrived he was a living mass
of maggots. 1t was a fearful case, but
! the few days he fingered in this life
were made comfortable and cleanly
| This is only one case of many. Poor
beings in the last stages of consump-
| ton lie unwashed and INTENDED on
filthy pallets or mats, their expectora-
lions carrying the germs of disease
among their co-dwellers.
The house to house visitations which
were instituted during our fight with
the plague brought under the notice OF
many people the terrible condition OF
the incurables. 1t was this that gave
the impetus to the present movement
That there were such conditions had
been realized by the few, they were
not realized by the many till quite re-
Gently. But they have been realized al
last and there will, in future be band
of devoted workers who will carry on
and administer the funds for one of the
most benefcent institutions ever estab-
lished on the Islands.