The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-11-21
Chlldren's Diseases in Hawaii.
DR.. A. G. Hodgins.

quality. and they are unable TO taAt
care of themselves owing TO lack OF
means and education.
l believe you viii find tuberculosis 1T
the children of the better classes ex-
tremely rare.
1t infects all organs of the body, az
in other places, tuberculosis of the
joints being practically unknown until
few years ago. but now is very com
mon.
Under proper instructions and condi'
tions this disease could be greatly
lessened.
Hereditary syphilis is common In
children of the lower classes, but this
is so in all seaport cities.
WORMS VERY COMMON.
Intestinal parasites are extremely
common in children of all classes, es-
pecially the Ascaris Lumbricoides.
believe you will find them in ninety pei
cent of the children of Honolulu and
very frequently in great numbers.
AS tropical climates are favorable tc
the developmental cycle of these
worms. owing to the heat and moisture
this accounts for the prevalence of this
trouble.
The Ankylostomum Duodenale is
found in the Portuguese and Porte
Ricans to some extent, but these HAYS
only been introduced in the islands dur
ing the past few years.
OF parasitic skin diseases. Impetigo
Contagaso is the most common, oc-
curing on the legs of children more
frequently than any other part of the
body, this being. no doubt. due to their
going barefooted allowing abrasions OF
the skin, which easily become infected.
Scabies. I believe. is common in the
children treated at the dispensary, but
in private practise L have seen very
few cases
TRACHOMA.
OF all the childrens diseases in Ha-
wall which have become prevalent in
the past few years. in fact, almost cpl,
demic, that of trachoma is becoming a
serious problem.
one or our medical men. in examining
a school a few days ago. found six
cases, so you can easily see how the
disease can be rapidly spread
Children at school, as rule un,
wash from the same basin
and use the same towels. and the in,
lection travels fast.
This disease was evidently introduced
into Hawaii by our Oriental popula
ton, but now these are all carefully
examined for this disease.
l believe every child attending school
in these islands should be examined for
this disease and an effort made to en-
tirely stamp it out.
to a great extent, occurring in scar
tissue in any part of the body. I have
seen several cases in the scars of vac
cination marks
MANY DISEASES ABSENT.
Why does this climate cause an abb
sence of the commOner diseases of tenn.
perate climates, and why do they
usually run such mild course?
I believe the greater part of it is due
md the fact that we live here practI.
,ally in the open air.
Sunlight has certainly a strong bac-
ericidal effect on germs and the con-
slant exposure destroys these living
organisms.
Manson explains the absence of some
II iLSSS OiSedSeS OH the OASIS IIldl
disease germs in a majority of cases,
n order to keep in existence. requirs
o pass from host to host, and if dur,
ng this passage the temperature OF
he transmitting medium-be it afr.
water or food-be too high Or too low
or the special requirements of the
'erm in question, that germ dies and
eases to be infective. Thus, in the
hort passage of air-borne diseases
rom one human being to another. |
roplcal temperature is fatal to these
rganisms. He cites scarlet fever as an
Instance of this theory.
Again, other diseases require the |
resence of third animal or parasite |
o convey the infection, and sometimes |
his is absent. 1 think this is very |
veil Illustrated here, due to the alb
ence of malaria, owing to the lack of |
he Anopheles mosquito.
Manson also believes that in tropical |
Inmates certain organisms prey on |
ertain other disea producing organ-
SINS, and in this way some diseases are
ept under by natural enemies, just as
shes prey on and keep down water
6untlno insects