The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-03-24
ASK WHY LEPERS SHOULD
Be EXAMINED BY HOUSE

er house OF the legislature III the course
of its attack of investigation fever Is
anxious to take a lot of physicians and
examine the unfortunates confined in
the Kalihi Receiving Station who are
suffering with leprosy or suspected to
be stricken with that disease. When
President Pinkham of the Board OF
Health was informed that the Health
Committee desired to examine one OF
the patients he assented but on later
learning that the OBJECT was to examine
not only the one suspect but all the
suspects and all those who had al
ready been declared leprous by the ex-
amining physicians he refused permits
for any such wholesale examination.
In this course he was fully sustained
by the board at yesterday afternoons
session.
The board also came back at the
House with a resolution asking that
body to state it's reasons for wishing
to examine leprous persons at the Re
ceiving Station contrary to law. The
members of the board expressed them
selves as perfectly willing to assist the
House in its work in every way possi-
BILE but were rather annoyed at the
action of that body in demanding an
opportunity to examine leprous per-
sons who have already been subjected
to a searching examination and found
to be infected with the disease and
also trying to force an examination by
outside physicians on suspects who
have not asked or desired such an ex-
animation.
PRESIDENTS STATEMENT.
The Board of Health met in the Ka-
puaiwa building at 3 p. m. yesterday.
There were present President Pink
ham, Drs. Cooper and Mays, M. P.
Robinson, /. Fernandez and Attorney
General Andrews. After the reading
and approval of the minutes of the
last session President Pinkham read
his statement as follows:
wednesday, March %, 1905.
To the Members of the Board of
Health.
1 herewith hand you the report of
Superintendent McVeigh on the petit
tion of l.. Kamealoha, which he recon-
mends be refused.
The report of the Food Commission
or for January is submitted.
hand you correspondence with DR..
A. Brinton of Paris, France, relative
to a specific for the cure of leprosy.
DIR. Brinton, after receiving our per-
mission, has sent a quantity of this
medicine, free of charge, and offers to
supply the remedy in larger quanti-
ties, also free of charge. l would not
pass an opinion on its value, although
he makes strong claims.
/ submit herewith communication
r. II -, ,tn., aha lf
the Leprosy Committee of the House of
Representatives, relative to correspond
ence between the Board of Health and
DIR. Milton Rice of nIo. This cor
respondence l place before you.
/ also place before you my summary
of the reports, secured at your com
nand, touching the treatment of four
leprous patients at the Hilo Quaran-
tine Station, by DR.. Milton Rice.
l also submit a communication from
the House of Representatives, relative
to the taking by the Health Committee
of the House of three physicians, of
their own selection, for the purpose of
making examination of the leper sus-
poets now detained in said Receiving
Station.
About two o'clock, the afternoon of
the 2lst instant yesterday, / was in
formed the House Committee desired
to cancel their engagement to meet
the Board and proposed to proceed to
Kalihi Receiving Station to examine
one, Mrs Makanui. To this l assent.
ed as matter of courtesy. Later L
learned the object was to examine all
leprous persons therein detained. There
upon / declined to issue any permits
to enter tine Receiving Station.
There are now detained at the Re-
ceiving Station but four leper suspects /:
George Mahiai, Mary Akakao, Lee Len
and Telamoto.
There are some twenty declared lep-
ers detained at Kalihi Receiving Sta
tion that have been examined under
the regulations of the Board of Health
and final determination of their cases
reached, but held out of courtesy to
the House of Representatives.
The President of the Board of Health
has no power to permit review of
these cases.
/ wish to state that so far as my
knowledge extends in no instance has
the Board of Health declined to allow
person detained as a suspect to have
friend or physician present at the
examination of such person, nor has
1t failed to take into consideration ev-
cry interest of the unfortunate persons
themselves. Harsh measures are rare
3 ly used; never if We can talk with the
person suspected. Cases, that are such
the disease is not plainly obvious, are
usually requested to present themselves
early in the day at the Dispensary
The meteorological examination is
made and reported on during the day
and, if the bacilli of leprosy are not
present, the party is Immediately dis,
charged. In cases, where the Presi.
dent of the Board can rely on the pa.
role of the parties, they are not de.
tanned but directed to report within
twenty-four hours. In but one case
has the parole been broken. Occa
sionally we are unable to exercise this
consideration.
/ believe the present methods anC
practice are the most kindly, consid
crate, and protective to the public rep
utation of those who come under tn,
eve of the law of leprosy of any tha