The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-04-23
HEALTH COMMISSIONERS.

May 1t Please Your Majesty: At the
time of Your Majesty's first confdng
to us the responsible duties attaching to
our Board, we attempted to prevent the
spread of the smallpox by vaccination,
isolation and appointment of sub-com-
mlssioners on the other Islands with
power equal to our own. Finding that
the disease had already been too much
spread on Oahu to allow of the preven-
ton of it's general dissemination on that
Island, 1t became our great object to
hinder its extension to the other Islands.
In this attempt we have received the
most efficient support from the several
ub-commissioners. whose local knowl-
edge enabled them to make regulations
adapted to the peculiarities of their va
rious fields of labor, and to which regu-
lations We have given our strongest sup
port On Oahu where the disease ragged
In its virulence. hospitals We're erected
and furnished with everything necessary
for the reception of all the sick who
could be induced to enter them. Medi-
cines have been supplied to all who
needed them. Every medical man or 9TH
er intelligent person willing to assist the
sick, either volunteered or was engaged
for pay. Wherever nurses could be pro-
cured, they were employed, and a band
of prisoners was devoted to the revolt
NIB SAiNS vi bbi yiiS lHc dtdh
The patient exertions of these latter
assistants render them, in our humble
opinion, highly deserving of Your Maj
esty's merciful consideration. AS the
sick have been strictly prohibited, of
course, from going into the kalo patches
for food. we have been obliged to sup
ply provisions generally In such form as
tea. sugar, rice. arrow root, etc. The
distribution of these articles has given
rise to some abuse. but has been a mat
ter of necessity on our part. One great
Item of expense has been the reimburse
ment of those whose infected houses we
We're obliged to destroy, and there win
be still heavier calls upon the funds in
our hands on the same ground. In order
to purify the town in view Of the APP
preaching season of the whaling fleets
arriVal,2on which so much of the prosper
ity of the Islands generally depends,
sum of money will have to
be outlayed; a very few cases OF small
pox among the crews might produce
panic that would greatly prevent busl-
ness, and as the sailors are in the habit
OF entering almost every premise in and
about town. 1t becomes doubly necessary
to annihilate all possibly infected places
The clothes. also, of those discharged
from the hospitals had to be burned. and
the parties supplied with other and un-
infected garments. The police force II
Honolulu has assisted. us nobly through
out, and fifty native and foreign cen
stables have lost their lives In the PROS
ecution OF their painful duty. in bury.ns
whom We have been led into additional
expense.
Thus Your Majesty will understand
that the principal items OF expenditure
may be classed under six heads. namely;
% Hospitals; (2) medicines; go clothing;
90 food; 90 attendants. including quar-
antlne expenses; and 90 payment for
houses destroyed, We have endeayored
10 observe the best economy In using the
funds at our command as orr vouchers,
We trust. viii prove; but having expend-
ed already almost $4,000 We feel II nee
essary 10 know Your Majesty's pleasure
Ia regard 10 our future operations. The
question IN, whether or no We shall dis
continue the supply OF food ana furnish
medicines only on the Island OF oahu.
In view Of the contingent necessity OF
largo sums being expended on the other
Islands IN care the disease should not be
kept at bay there. but spread on The con-
.rary 49, Il has done here should Il suit
Your Maiestys convenience 90 direct us
u your hrsi opportunity IN regard 20 our