The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-10-31
CAMPAIGN AGRINSI RATS.
pr Pratt Proposes w1r of tStefm.ua-
u0n and tba Idea De- Approved hy
Board off Health

Executive officer Pratt Boo written
communication yesterday called fhD
attention of the Board ol Health tO tht
plague iu the Orient and boz Hong Kong
and suggested "a rat-klllihg campaign
throughout the Islands as e. means of
preventing the disease from getting
hold here again. The members of the
board all approved the sentiments IN
Or pratts letter DNs. Cooper and
Pratt were appointed "a committee to
arrange the matter and Or Cofer will
be asked to serve. The board has no
funds now, but the public will be asked
To cooperate.
Attorney General Dole caused smile
by asking II there was any of the late
official rat poison, famous during the
plague times on hand The memory Of
how the rodents waXed strong and
healthy on the official poison was deep
ly affecting To some of the doctors.
pr. Pratt's letter is as follows:
There is "a matter which / desire to
bring To your attention with the hope
that some action can be taken which
VIII be of benefit to this country It
seems TO me to be a fitting time TO start
In on a rat killing campaign.
"No plague is at present i'm Honolulu
or any part Of the Territory as far as Is
known but we have reports of cases hv
siOnally from San FrancisC and CIV
by last steamer We learn it is in Bis-
bane
Just so long as there are cases in
these places We are open to the danger
of having IL get ashore from one Of
these ports. The United states Marine
Hospital service with whom we are
working in perfect ac'Dri Is doing all
in their power to prevent il getting
ashore from vessels but there is always
a chance that rats and infected ones at
that may manage to get ashore and 50
infect others.
That plague is spread pincippGy
through the agency of rats is fact re-
cOgniZed by all countries where plague
has existed and it is only few months
ago that Japan having a few cases Of
plague started in on "A general rat cru
SADIE and thousands were eXterminated.
1t is not my desire TO be considerd an
alarmist for / thoroughly believe that
the sooner the people Of this community
take calm view Of plague and edu-
cate themselves TO the fact that this
being seaport city We are always open
10 the danger of contagious and infec-
tiOus diseases Just so much quicker will
the commercial and shipping interests
be best coneryed. 1t Is not only the
fact that If plague should again appear
we would be likely TO have some deaths .
but the fact that if it does come the /.
commercial and shipping interests Of |
the community are at once affected and /.
everybody suffers.
The old saying IAN ounce OF pre- |
yention is worth a pound Of cure" was
never truer than in this instance
In other words it is better to start
taking precautions before it does APP
pear With the coming on of the rainy
season we are very likely to have spo- |
radio cases of plague and If before this |
time comes we can diminish the number
OF rates or eXterminate them by the |
action Of the whole commune |
ty then the danger Of its spreading will
be greatly diminished.
II would respectfully request that a |
of three be appointed to take |
up this matter and outline a plan Of ac-
ton and that the public MS n whole |
through the press be reIu seed to give
the Board their support IN his mater
as soon as the committee mas red ched .
decision. "