The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-09

Since the question was raised by N
lOceanic Steamship Company as 10 tn
| COURSE which was TO be followed in IN
treatment Of consumptives who were
| travelling, there has been much discus
| sion of the matter on all sides. While
the prevalence OF this disease, and tht
infectious character of it as wei. has
taroused great discussion all over the
country, there is belief in some quar-
tiers that too strict Interpretation OF
the law, so as to make it affect the
tourist, wealthy but stricken, Will be
inhuman and outside the intent of the
trainers of the legislation. In this con-
nection the following from the New
York Tribune indicates the breadth OF
opinion on the matter:
| THE American people and their Of
IficiaIs animated with zeal not accord
| ing to knowledge, are in some danger
| of going to SenSeless and cruel eX-
| trernes in hunting down consumptives.
There is tendency on the part of peo-
pIe who have grasped the idea of the
Infectious nature of this disease 10 be-
come pauic-stricken and act as badly
as we from time to time see commun-
tiles doing when they burn down con-
taeious disease hospitals. Urdoubted-
w great precautions should be taken To
preyent the spread of tuberculosis |
buildings which have become breeding |
places of the disease should be de-
stroyed The law against the habit
which spreads the germs broadcast In
street cars and on sidewalks should be
ricfdly enforced. Greater efforts should
be made to secure the proper treat
ment of afflicted persons. But there Is
no reason why consumptives, whether
our own citizens or foreigners, should
to n hi
fears or to slavishly literal interpreta-
ton of our laws. Il
Reports from San Francisco say II
hat the Commissioner of immigration z
II that port has just made decision I
n answer to a hypothetical question L
rom a steamship company that an al {
en- traveller afflicted with consump- t
lon who has ample means to care for o
himself and be no possible charge on II
he community cannot be permitted to t
and in this country. He says that the V
onditions surrounding a tourist in his c.
ravels are of a personal and social
AZURE, and in no way affect his posi-
ion as an allen from a statutory point
{ view. 1t is true, the law can be no
aspecter of persons; but when the law b.
5 interpreted reaches such a result it m
lay be questioned If there has not &c
cen a lack of discretion in interpret
lg it. Persons with disease are ex-
uded for two reasons-first, lest they a
ecome a public charge, and, second,
st they should menace the public in
,fety poor consumptive, like any 81
her person who does not offer a rea- va
'nable promise of self-support. should te
excluded. Likewise a man should in
excluded. no matter what his means, 70
no is bringing in a new disease or is m
from an old one. But consumptive w
ON abroad seeking recovery in a suit re
de climate, surrounded by proper W.
re, does not add to that danger in 20
~ serious degree. It is not as if Of
rson had smallpox or yellow fever ON
some other disease the germ of ag
nich can by quarantine be kept from re
ting about among people. Tubercu tn
SIS is as much at home here as any &C
lere. Persons suffering from it walk
y streets and are quite as dangerous va
any tourist from abroad. J.
We have in this country certain dis ~
cts whose climate particularly suits an
ose afflicted with the disease. If q re;
iropean in search of health wants laI
visit the Adirondacks, Colorado or plf
lifornia when his physicians think ais
e of these places better than any at me
me n is a sanealass and crral +bing on
turn him back. Americans by the 80 %.
ndred seek the Riviera, Egypt, the eli
hara and other parts of the Old sic
orld as best adapted to give them to
2 change they need when threatened an
the same disease. Would they think wa
fair to be shut out from the promise the
cure by prejudice or panic? Be sfi
cen shutting out the forsign health or,
.ker and combining natives to the W =,
1t when they are discovered to have 80 NJ.
, disease, no matter how unhealthy, fla
only step. In California and Col as
lido talk of barring invalids from 9TH tao
States has been heard, and there is pIo
niger that the common and natural the
xiety to guard against consumption hin
y be INDUCED with a heartlessness y
re characteristic of the Middle Ages sut
N of this humanitarian time, which 80
des itself on its superiority to SUI cor
stition. The fear OF consumption on
y become as much of a superstition She
the fear of witches and lead to as sen
'easonable prosecutions Dire
A WEE