The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-11

and poison, see that they are properly
used, deodorize the traps, and collect al
| rats
2 The district as whole to be under
the supervision Of two superintendent
| g. The methods of DISCRIMINATING rats
10 be confined to traps, poison and sui
phur fumigation, the rat-bounty method
not to be used.
| f. All rubbish to be cleared up and
| burned
s. All interisland vessels to be fumi.
gated.
| g. All wharves and warehouses to be
made alright for sulphur fumigation
| this to include underneath the wharves
| Z. The rats are to be kept separated
according to the district from which they
come, and are to be examined bacteri-
ologically for the purpose of determining
whether or not a certain district is prob
| ably infected and is IN need of special
attention
| L will report on the progress of the
crusade from time to time and forward
! any satisfies concerning it likely to be
of interest.
| Respectfully,
L. E. CoFER,
Passed Assistant Surgeon, u. S. M Fl.
| s., Chief Quarantine officer, Terri
tory of Hawaii.
The SUPERINTENDENT
U. s. Marine Hospital Service.
(lnciOSure.)
Honolulu, H. L. Oct. %. 1901
Gentlemen: There is a matter which
desire to bring to your attention, with
which will be of benefit to this country.
1t seems to me to be a fitting time to
start a rat-killing campaign.
No plague is at present in Honolulu,
or any part of the territory as far as is
known, but we have reports of cases by
every steamer from Hongkong, occasion
ally from San Francisco, and now by
last steamer we learn it is in Brisbane.
Just so long as there are cases in these
places, we are open to the danger of
having 1T get ashore from one of these
ports. The u. S. Marine Hospital Serv-
ice, with whom We are working in per-
feet accord, is doing all in its power to
prevent it getting ashore from vessels,
but there is always chance thai rats,
and infected ones at that, may manage
to get ashore and so infect Others
That plague is spread principally
through the agency of rats is fact rec
ognized by all countries where plague
has existed, and it is only a few months
ago that Japan, having a few cases Of
plague, started in on general rat cru
SADIE and thousands were exterminated.
1t is not my desire to be considered an
alarmist, for 1 thoroughly believe the
sooner the people of this community take
a cdliH view Oh ana educate them
selves to the fact that this being a sea-
port city we are always open to the dam
ger of contagious and infectious diseases
just so much quicker will the commercial
and shipping interests be best conserved
1t is not only the fact that if plague
should again appear we would be like
~ to have some deaths. but the fact that
If it does come the commercial and ship
ping interests OF the community are at
once affected and everybody suffers
The old saying, AN ounce of preven- |
ton is worth pound of cure was new
er truer than in this instance. In other !
words, ii is better to take precautions |
before 1t does appear. With the coming I
)n OF the rainy season we are very like
y to have sporadic cases of plague, and I
t before this time comes we can dimin- |
sh the number of rats Or exterminate !
hem by the concerted action of the |
whole community then the danger of its
Spreading win be greatly diminished.
L would respectfully request that a |
committee of three be appointed to take
up this matter and outline a plan of /
lotion, and that the public as a whole.
through the press, be requested to give
ne board their support in this matter
Is soon as the committee has reached a I
leclsion. Respectfully,
J. S. b. PRATT,
Executive officer.
he HreSldent and Members of the II
Board Il
Honolulu, H. l., Oct 81. 1901.
Sir: AT meeting of the board of
ealth held yesterday, letter from Elk
cutive Officer Pratt was read in regard
o q rat-killing campaign. 1t was moved
y Mr. e. A. Mott-Smith, seconded by
'r. w. L. Moore, that the recommends
ion in DR.. Pratt's letter be accepted and
cted on. Motion carried.
AttOrnFy General Dole that
he members of the press be requested
} publish the letter Is a whole, and ask
ne cooperation of the community in
lis matter.
ole. seconded by Mr. E. a. Mott-Smth,
lat Drs. Cooper and Pratt be appointed
committee OF two, and that DR.. Cofer
? asked to cooperate with the commit
e, and also that this committee be en-
1wered to add to their number at their
secretion from citizens from the terri
ny. Motion carried.
Inclosed please find copy of the letter
Dove referred to. Acting under instruc-
ons of the board 1 would respectfully
quest that you cooperate with the
mmittee upon this important question
killing rats. Respectfully
]. S. B. PRATT,
Executive officer.
r. L. E. COFER,
Chicf Quarantine officer, City.
This Is all we have about the Homo
lu situation, continued DR.. Wyman.
Ut bureau is cooperating with the
Oard of Health in Honolulu, as we
ways do in such cases, and, of course
e are concerned to see that the out
me of the crusade is successful and
at plague does not get a foothold on
e islands. We sent some rat poison '.
Honolulu.
Many communities eagerly prefer to
under the immediate Jurisdiction of
e Marine Hospital Service, just as
avana and Manila have been, instead
working through their own local |
'ards. But. while we are always glad
cooperate, as L have already said, it
better for communities of American
items to undertake such work for
emselves. They are the ones to cope |
it'll the situation and we will extend Il