The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1901-02-05
YF THE Legislature acts in accord
ance with a resolution of the Board
of Health naSSed Yesterday the


of Health passed yesterday the
frightful death rate in Hawaii from
the use of methylated spirits will be
materially decreased. For years natives
have been dying from the use of wood
alcohol the popular name of the spir-
its. The high price of liquor and beer
and the unrestricted sale of wood alco-
hol have combined to make the spirits
common drink for the poor inebriate.
In the course of few days, month
or so ago, there were half a dozen
deaths from this poison.
When the matter was brought to the
attention of the Board of Health a
committee consisting of DR.. Cooper and
George w. Smith was appointed to
draw up recommendations to be sub
mitted to the Legislature. The follow
ing was the report of the committee,
made yesterday:
DIR. j. II. Raymond, President of the
Board of Health.
Sir: Your committee to whom was re-
ferred the matter of the sale of methy-
lated spirits with instructions to frame
a recommendation to the Legislature
from the Board of Health, beg to re-
port as follows: The sale of methylatcd
and wood spirit has been repeatedly
sanctioned by successive Legislatures as
a necessary article of commerce to take
the place of pure alcohol
The original legislation had in view
the prevention of the manufacture CT
Fictitious liquors from pure alcohol. At
the present time under the United
States laws the Importation into the
Territory by anyone of pure alcohol is
not and cannot be prohibited and it is
now imported for manufacturing
purposes by others than those engaged
in the drug business.
The prohibition at the present time OF
the sale of alcohol and the consequent
forced sale of methylated spirits. rem
ders this article easy of requirement
and while not properly poison yet
when taken in quantity by those ad
dicted to the use of drink, becomes ia
tai owing to its peculiarly irritating
properties when introduced into the
blood.
Pure alcohol is a necessity in medicine
and common domestic remedy for
external application. Methylated spirits
cannot be used in medicine or domestic
practice. owing to its irritating and Of
fensive properties. No restriction is
placed on the sale of alcohol by drug
gists in the United States and no pro-
vision is made in the laws for the prep
aration or sale of methylated or wood
spirit. Methylated or wood spirit would
not be offered for sale in the Territory
II the restriction on the sale of pure al
cohol We're removed. At no time has
the sale of pure alcohol been so large as
to render it dangerous to public health
morals.
In view of the above facts your com
mittee would recommend the following
resolutions
Resolved That the Board of Health
respectfully requests the Legislature to
repeal all that portion of Act n (unre-
pealed by the Organic AcD of the Leg
islature, special session 1895, and all
amendments thereto entitled An Act to
Provide for the Importation and Sale of
Alcohol for Medical Purposes, and the
Manufacture and Sale of Methylated
Spirits. etc.
Resolved, That a copy of these reso-
lutions and this report be sent to the
president of the Senate and the speaker
of the House of Representatives.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE w. SMITH.
CHARLES b. COOPER, MD.
A communication from Wilder's
Steamship Company as follows was
read at the meeting:
G. b. Reynolds, superintendent Leper
Settlement: Referring to our CONVERSE
ton this morning regarding the car
riage of taro, would say that under the
contract for which we are paid 500 per
month by the Board of Health the
freighting OF poi and taro was ndf con-
tcmplated. Taro and poi have been de-
livered by contractors at the leper set
Element and we have been paid freight
on the same by them, From this we
do not interpret our contract to include
the shipment OF taro and poi Our
charge for the same will be at the rate
of IS per ton
WILDERS STEAMSHIP COMPANY,
The members of the Board expressed
Indignation at the Wilder company's
action and It was agreed that the COM
pany must carry any and all freight
offered by the Board for the 5000 "A
month or lose the contract
The following report OF the commit |
tee on cemeteries was adopted
Honolulu, January 30. 1901
Resolved, That no permit for inter
ment OF tho dead shall be granted with |
In the city limits Of Honolulu, as de- |
hned IN the resolution OF ApIll bth, 1907
cXoept In such places ana upon hneh |
conditions as tho Board Of Health up- /
on Investigation shall ma VIII not Jeo-
pardse the public health
NJ o. silva was given permission % /
run pipe into kahaako dlt'h Tor AIRY .
- Williams Was given a renewal Of .
his contract a. make photographs ~ .
iapers az MS Tor each subject
Tne fulluNins opinion Of u y pole F
Attorney General NaH Tpad Aud thg .
claim ordered not paid
IN ugard 90 iha claim ~ az kanakar
nnl agalnri lie board ~ Health faI .
lafHpa ln ilp nw ~ January ~ igtl, -
lflIpi ID mn ~ lis heari n liraliii !
laha M report ihai, ln mf eplnloni ihf
llnall n pai isHallY liable f9f suaA i
losers 900 haH 10 aAinefif NJ paF lhs .
f4ur
pnl ~ $40 - liaakhll 4 Company
iW Nl0 Wfmahsa iHrnR iNF WsHaH