The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-11-22
Seven Only In the
Space of Ten
- Months.
President Pinkham to
Hawaiian Medical
Society.

1 he following address was made last
evening by President L. E. Piukham OF
the Board of Health and was read before
the Hawaiian Medical Association at
their banquet last evening. 1t is publish
ed at his request:
Gentlemen: In responding to the in
vitation of your POSTMASTER, it is a
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 sub
Jects in unnlistakable language.
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.
s It has become advisable in the inter-
est of the peace of mind of timid and
apprehensive Inhabitants to speak
plainly concerning the disease,
PLAGUE .
IL combating public disquietude we
suade our people to reflect and let
feelings.
The terrors of plague are largely the
result of sensational writing in the
public press. and records pertaining
to such periods as were not controlled
by modern scientific knowledge and
practice.
Upon investigation it viii be found
but few people of the Caucasian race
have succumbed to the disease where
the individuals have observed modern
sanitary rules.
Plague is essentially a disease on
filth, vermin. and unsanitary sur
roundings and methods of life.
There seems to be terror as to the
presumed sudden death by plague. The
course OF that disease covers about t
the same period as pneumonia of a |
severe type, and is no more suddenly |
fatal than other diseases that cause
no apprehension or particular COM
rnent.
The exact situation in Honolulu as
to plague during the past ten months
has been as follows:
There have been seven cases only. I
OF these, two recovered while in care
of the Bosrd 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 little
Portuguese girl There were five
deaths. One was that of a Japanese.
Who expired before the employees of
th4 Board could reach him after re-
cefving notificat ation. One was that of
/ lad who disease had progressed to-
ward the last stages before we were
lotif1ed. We are inclined to believe
lis custom of going about barefooted
nay have been the means of his ex-
)osure.
The next case was that of a little
,hinese boy whose environment was
ueh that disease was courted in near
y every way filth and unsanitary
onditions can invite conta gion to in
ade the human body.
The next death was that of a lonely
He also lived under condi-
ons that invited disease and death in
ny form that might first attack him.
lie lived and slept in a close, damp
bonn, that from one years end TO the
ther failed to receive one single ray
f sunlight We could not conceive
f conditions more favorable to disease {
nd contagion.
The recent death of a young lady
yould seem TO be one of those ex- y
-emely infrequent sporadic cases that ;
re unaccountable, and which may be .
Iassed with the tragic in all forms y !.
sudden deaths. :
These facts must lead any reason
bic mind and self controlled Judgment =
, reach the conclusion that there is =
ss to fear from the disease plague, :,
IAN almost any other disease of a Sc
Gus character.
The Board of Health is without ces-
iHon fighting filth and unsanitary al
1hditions and destroying the vehicles =
carrying disease. Tx
The Board is not depending entireiy a
4 the means provided by the Legis- o.
ture. but its President has sought a
Id is receiving private aid to an ex- n
Continued on page -