The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-03-07
AN HAWAIIAN PERIL.

The monthly mortuary report of the
Board of Health is always an interest
ing document, even if 1t only deals
tory that some idea is being put be-
fore the people, however feeble that
effort may be. From this report one
learns that there are 1906 people in
the city, that 81 persons have died
within the city precincts, that the
monthly death rate, is 2.31 per thou
sand, which equivalent to 27.72 per
year, and that there have been 35 mar
riages during the month, and 90 births.
And this document is, headed Terri
tory of Hawaii-Vital Statistics" After
a careful look through them there does
not seem anything very vital about
them. They tell of death, but they tell
very little about life. The proper head
would be''Terrltory of Hawaii-Necro-
logical Statistics" '
But one must in this matter lay jok-
ing aside. The statistics which are be-
ing given forth in perfect good faith
are really hardly worth the paper they
are written on. These statistics are
not the statistics of the Territory of
Hawaii, they are the very unsatsfac-
tory statistics of the city of Honolulu.
defend report which says there are
about 10000 people in the city proper,
that there have been, during the past
month 81 deaths, and during the same
period 29 births. Can any one say that
this report is in anyway accurate. On
the face of it, it is utterly inaccurate,
and those who accept such reports are
as culpable as those who made them.
But poor and inaccurate as the re-
port evidently is it uoes give us a
glimpse of where the greatest danger
lies. OF the deaths 90 are credited to
Hawaiians, which means far and away
a larger percentage of deaths for the
native race, than for any other races
upon the Islands.
Let us look at the question, so deaths
of Hawaiians is considerably in ex-
cess of fifty per cent of all the deaths
in the city. The first question that
presents itself is whether this should
be so, and whether the present con-
ditions could be met. Undoubtedly the
present conditions can be met and
easily, but the real strong organized
backing must come away from here,
not from here. a..
One cannot help admiring bureau
which monthly publishes a list of
deaths anywhere from 112 to 81 and
then calmly makes the statement that
there have been 20 births 1t is a
curious fact that in January the total
birth list was also 30. Is this exact
figure that the Board of Health con-
siders proper one, or is there a mys-
FERROUS number which will always
round out statistics, or quasi Stats
tics, to the satisfaction of the authors.
1t is odd to have 29 figure as the num-
her for two months running, in city
apt to be as prolific as Honolulu is.
AS a fact the so-called vital statis-
tics of the Territory of Hawaii are very
poor material indeed. The more they
are analysed the poorer they appear
They are apparently straight forward
set of figures and they are nothing of
Late AAiN' 1hSS WSlS PIdSllCdlly
Valueless when printed and filled in on
a half sheet of writing paper, and
they are as valueless now when they
are printed and filled in upon a double
folded elephant size.
Statistics to be worth anything must
be accurate. The statistics of the
Board of Health have never been ac-
curate, and there never seems to have
been anyone round that office who had
the slightest idea what statistics should
be. When the Board of Health meth
DDS were laid before William C. Hunt
of the Washington census bureau, he
raised his eyebrows in surprise, and
gave up any hope of gaining any in
formation in that direction, and when
the full report of the census for 1900
comes out, it will be found that Ha-
wall is short on Health statistics. 1t
might be wise for the Legislature to
take up this matter and insist some
kind of statistics should be kept.
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