The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-11-09

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 diseases has no effect on 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 a 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 a 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-
ed on low damp ground. made by har-
Dor dredgings, but left several feet
lower than the surrounding ground.
The sixth death we can not account
for. The cottage was in fair condi-
ton. 1t was near a stable, however.
In this district we have been unable
to find or catch any rats.
ITO those persons who are correct
in their personal habits, and reside in
sanitary districts and homes the
dangers of plague are less than any
other disease under the observation of
the Board of Health.
THE health reputation of Honolulu,
Hilo and the Territory is from time
to time infinitely more injured by SEN
sational correspondence, and roman
GERS who wish to spin a big yarn when
visiting the coast, than would be pos
sible from plain official statements Of
facts
Il suggest you consider the advisa-
bility of publishing weekly the num-
Der of deaths occurring in Honolulu
from contagious diseases, including
plague and tuberculosis.
HOSPITAL DIFFICULTIES.
President Pinkham stated in his mes
sage that the Quarantine hospital was
the only one over which the Board had
control. 1t had a keeper only and in
cases of emergency, one or two health
inspectors We're detailed there as
nurses. The Queens Hospital would
not receive or retain conta gious cases,
and it classed tuberculous cases among
only place to which ordinary infectious
and incurable cases can be sent. It
is four and a half miles from the Of |
fee of the Board, and the Quarantine
hospital two and a half miles distant. |
1T has been the custom to send tu-
bercular patients, though scarcely able |
to sit up, to the office of the president
of the Board and let him hustle to |
find a place for them. He does not /
object, for if there is no other way
to provide e opens up the Quaran- |
tine hospital for their care until he |
can find a place for them. It is not, !
however, very humane to hold very |
feeble, sick persons in our hallway |
five or six hours while your executive |
is trying to place them
With some other remarks the presi- |
dent made the following suggestions:
1T seems to me the Queens Hospital |
would do well to provide a small, de-
tached, isolated ward on their own or
adjacent grounds to which such pa