The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-01-27
"A sUB-INsPECToR ASKS FOR
INFORMATION.
Authoritative Answers to Practical
Questions Will Enable Sanitary
Work to be More Thoroughly Done.

EDITOR STAR:-May l offer sug-
gestion which may or may not prove
worthy of acceptance?
There are at work in Honolulu some
400 sub-inspectors, going their rounds
twice a day, and inspecting not only
The residents but also the sanitary
conditions of their apanas. OF
these 400 volunteers it can hardly be
supposed that all are properly inform
ed upon questions of sanitation. All
may have, and probably possess, rough
and ready ideas, good enough for or
| binary conditions, and sufficient to
| guide them in their own personal af-
fairs. But the conditions that have to
/ be met today are exceptional, and the
property that has to be dealt with is
| the property of other people. Sub-In-
spectors are armed with an authority
which can, if not primarily, at any rate,
eventually, be used to compel house,
holders to carry out their recommenda-
! tiOns. 1t is not unreasonable then to
ask that sub-inspectors should be thor
oughly and accurately informed as to
what conditions are considered salts
factory from sanitary point of view,
and since they will be often called up
on for advice, what are the least ex-
pensive ways of reaching these condi
| lions. Other questions too, touching
health are likely to arise as e. g. over
crowding upon which sub-inspectOrs
SHOULD be properly informed. And the
! suggestion l would make is that The
star open what might be called 1.-THE
Sub-Inspectors' Inquiry Column" or
THE Sanitary Column" To this col
umn sub-inspectors might appeal, etc,
if they might need authoritative guild
ance.
1t might be urged at once that sub
inspectors could lay their enquiries be-
fore their inspectors 1S0 receive instruc-
ton. But 1 submit that the inspectors,
like themselves are laymen, in these
matters, and might not in all instances
be armed with sufficient knowledge,
next that one rule should prevail
throughout the city, and not separate
rule for each district; and finally thai
the conditions throughout the city being
generally speaking of one character
the authoritative solution in public of
the difficulties of one sub-inspector
might solve the difficulties of 400.
Never in the past perhaps have people S
minds been so ready, as they are at the
present moment to receive instruction
on these matters and it may be a long
time before the opportunity may recur
The present is a golden opportunity FOL
impressing upon young and old the ele
melIary principles of sanitation as they
may be- applied to this city.
IL carry Oul IilS lued, IL WOulQ Ol
course be necessary that the answers
to enquiries should proceed from au-
thoritative quarters and not from priv.
ate individuals however well informed
The Board of Health or the Sanitary
>. Committee would eventually be the
Y source to which we should look.
4 Questions upon which one might lool
S for instruction are such as the follow
, ing:
y 1.-Should the drainage from the wasl
[ tub and sink be allowed to find it's wa,
$ into the closet pit, or should it be KEEP
/ separate?
- 2.-Should the closet pit be kept il
a dry or in liquid state?
i S.-Should the sink drainage be car
e ried off on the surface and exposed t
y the purifying influence of the sun, o
e should it be conducted by hole at ono
v to the black sand that underlies tn
p city?
s 4.-What is the proper depth for
V closet pit? Should it go down of neces
sity to the black sand? Is boxing es
sential?
5,-For lodging houses, tenemen
. houses, etc, what amount of accom-
Il modation should be provided in tn
u matter of closets?
{ 6.-How many cubic feet of air doe
e the law require for each person in
Is house? Is it the same for children a
for adults?
II 1-Within what limit may pigs h
n kept?
II SIS it proper or improper to allo'
lie eXcreta to be received into movabl
l. vessels, tubs and the like and the
e hurled in or distributed over gardens
flower or vegetable The practice, rigf
e or wrong, Is in vogue
IS Simple enquiries perhaps some ma
is say. An intelligent man could easil
y find out answers for himself. But agai
IS l reply that we are not actingson oui
n selves. We are enforcing recommends
if tions on others. We should therefor
'e have authority to stand on. And
this is given, not only will the end /
d more easily attained, but when attaine
is there will be the satisfaction of know
m ing 1t is the best modern knowledp
10 within reach.
Yours truly,
SUB-INSPECTOR