The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-11-10

ham, the Board of Health yesterday
voted to take the ia of" of the pub
lie health situation. The exaggerated
rumors from time to time circulated
here and published abroad regarding
occasional cases OF bubonic plague
formed the chief reason for this ac-
ton.
When the presidents recommended
ton of publicity. made in his written
submissions of business, came to de-
cision there was but one dissenting
voice thereto
DIR. wayson. the first to speak,
thought no harm would come from
publishing the bare returns OF cases
of contagious disease occurring.
DR.. Judd thought publication of the
truth would be better than allowing
exaggerated rumors to be circulated
at home and abroad without contra
diction.
1T would stop tourists from coming
here" Mr. Fernandez remarked tenta-
lively.
That's what 1t would" Mr.. Smith
to the proposition"
Mr. Robinson believed that the Off
cial health reports might be publish
ed every week or every month.
Mr.. Pinkham did not see that 1t
would be more injurious to have the
facts published in the case of Homo
lulu than in that of the ports of the
Orient. Publication of contagious dis
eases occurring there did not keep tour
lists away from that part of the world.
Publication of the facts would GER
tainly be less injurious than the false
reports that go abroad. A yarn recent
ly told in San Francisco by a man
from Hilo resulted in a quarantine
hold-up of all vessels from Hawaii
DR.. Judd moved that every two
weeks a list of deaths from contagi-
Gus diseases be published,
DR.. Wayson seconded the motion,
which was at once put and carried.
II would like to go on record as OPP
posed. to the proposition" Mr.. Smith
said while his hand was up for the
negative.
DIR. Wayson moved that the proceed
ings of that meeting be allowed to be
published. DR.. Judd seconded the mo-
ton and it carried, Mr.. Smith again
requesting to be put on record against
the proposal.
THE MAIN PROPOSITION.
Following is the recommendation of
President Pinkham to the Board:
las published in my report of June
80, 1905, there occurred seven deaths
from plague in the district Of Homo
lulu during the preceding twelve
months. Several of these deaths hap
pened in the latter part of the year
1904. At that time local rumors and
gossip became SO exaggerated your
President felt they should be publicly
refuted. This was done by means of
his address before the Hawaiian
Medical Association. A similar state
of rumor and gossip exists this fall
and requires the same. refutation.
1T is proper to consid0 places SINH
larly exposed as Honolulu. In Manila
each month the Board of Health pub
fishes the number of deaths from each
contagious disease, including plague,
small pox, cholera and typhus. The
same publicity is given in Hongkong,
Shanghai, Yokohama, Kobe and Maya
saki. The prevalence or absence of
THESE ulSedSeS mas 10 erect Oh the
great tourist and other travel to and
from these ports.
THE weather conditions and damp
ness have recently favored dormant
plague germs. In five weeks we have
had, in the district of Honolulu, six
deaths from that disease. Three of
| these cases are directly traceable to
one second story room where two VIC
Tins had slept in dirty personal sur
roundings. One Of the two at post
mortem had no indication of ever hav-
ing had bath, and his under cloth
ing could not have been changed in
months. From this room, circum-
stances indicate, the infection was car
ried to third person, who died OF
the disease. A fourth victim lived in
second story room across the street
The room was well furnished but was
not properly cared for, as dust had
been allowed to accumulate for months
A fifth victim lived in a house situat.