The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1904-11-22
PINKHAM TALKS
ABOUT PLAGUE
PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF
HEALTH MAKES A PLAIN STATE
MENT AS TO CONDITIONS.

President Pinkham of the Territorial
Board of Health. by special request,
presented an interesting paper on pla-
que to the assembled members of the
Hawaiian Medical Association during
it's convention. The address in part
ran as follows
Gentlemen: In responding to the in
vitation it is proper occasion to touch
upon such items of the work of the
Board of Health as may be of marked
public interest. and to deal with the
subject in unmistakable language.
1.-The President of the Board of Health
speaks this evening solely on his in
dividual responsibility. His statements
are not to be construed as the author
lied views of the other members of
the Board or Territorial officials.
1T has become advisable in the inter-
est of the peace of mind of timid and
apprehensive inhabitants to speak
plainly concerning the disease, plague
In combating public disquietude we
must state the exact facts and per-
suade our people to reflect and let
sound, common sense control their feel
ings.
THE terrors of plague are largely the
result of sensational writing in the
public press and records pertaining
to write up each case of a number of
by modern scientific knowledge and
practice.
by common consent the press of Ho-
nolulu has agreed that it is injudi-
cious to mention cases of plague in
their columns and that there is no more
occasion in fact less to notice it thar
to write up each case of a number OF
infectious diseases with which we are
| familiar. We are under great obliga-
lions to the newspapers for their at
titude.
The recent reports and misapprehen'
sions reaching us from all sides have
led to the belief this plain Statement
maze before such a Medical Assem-
blage is both proper and judicious anC
viii tend to reassure the public anC
demonstrate the folly of unfoundeC
apprehension.
THE exact situation i'm Honolulu az
to plague during the past ten months
has been as follows
There have been seven cases only
OF these two recovered while i'm car'
of the Board of Health at the Quaran
tine Hospital. The cases were report
ed at an early stage of the disease
one was that of a young Hawaiian
woman, and the other that of a littl
Portuguese girl. There were tiv'
deaths. One was that of a japanese
who expired before the employees o
the Board could reach him after re
. ceiving notification. One was that o
lad whose disease had progressed to
ward the last stages before we wer
notified. We are inclined to believ
his custom of going about barefoote'
may have been the means of his eX
posture.
The next case was that of littl
Chinese boy whose environment wa
such that disease was courted in near
" every way filth and unsanitar
conditions can invite contagion to in
wade the human body.
THE next death was that of a lionel
German. He also lived under condi
lions that invited disease and death i
any form that might first attack hin
He lived and slept i'm close, dam
room, that from one years end TO IN
other failed to receive one single IA
of sunlight We could not conceiV
of conditions more favorable to disesa
and contagion.
"The recent death of a young lad
would seem to be one of those eS
tremely infrequent sporadic cases ina
are unaccountable, and which may b
classed with the tragic in all forms
sudden deaths.