The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-02-07
DEALING WITH
TUBERCULOSIS
President Pinkham on Dancer
and the Measures
Taken.

Taken.
L. E. Pinkham. president OF the
Board OF Health, in view of the extreme
Importance of the public gaining an
adequate knowledge of the danger OF
tuberculosis being communicated from
animals to men, on his attention being
drawn to an editorial in the Sunday
Advertiser of February on this SUBJ
ject, made the following statement:
The Board of Health is in no wise
lacking in either interest or vigilance
SO far as it's facilities and means will
allow, in combating tuberculosis, both
in mankind and in animals.
A most earnest request was made of
the Legislature of 1905 for an inspector
OF diaries not alone for the control of
sanitary conditions and hygienic pro-
duction of milk, but for an oversight
OF animals, that any indications in
animals of tuberculosis or other disease
affecting human beings might be noted
and properly qualified scientific inves-
tigation be made. This request was
refused, but has been renewed this
year. In the meantime we have done
all in our power.
In controlling tuberculosis in human
beings it is quite easy to write public
letters or make addresses, but those
most active in this respect usually
cease their efforts after publicity
stamps them as leaders of public
opinion
When it comes to practical measures
we must rely on physicians, nurses,
settlement nurses and on such efforts
as the Board of Health can make.
There is SO much that is pitiful and
sympathetic in the gradual decline in
cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, the
step from day to day being scarcely
noticeable, that it is difficult to impress
upon either patient or friends the seri-
BUSINESS of The condition. It is a hard
task to secure proper restriction on
either patient or friends or establish
and maintain the strict measures the
gravity of the case demands.
The better opportunity for recovery
is in an institution like the Leahi
Home, but persons hesitate to avail
themselves of this opportunity.
In every case known to US where we
have felt at liberty to give advice and
direction as to measures for the safety
OF others we give and try to enforce
it. 1t is not always very kindly re-
ceived, as it seems an interference.
The board meets many puzzling in
cidents. For instance, about p. m. on
Thursday last. Chinanan brought in
a hack to the door of the Board of
Health a Hawaiian young woman in
the last stages of consumption. On
examination it seemed as if she Were
about dying and the object of the China
man was believed to be to avoid burial
expense, though we would not so at
tribute the motive. We advised him to
take her home, to the place where
they had been living together. as she
could survive but a few hours. In
stead, the hack went to the Leani
Home, and upon notification by tele-
phone the president of the board d.
rected her admission. She died within
three hours thereafter. 1t seems the
woman had been an inmate of the nome
five years ago, but chose to leave. ana
not improbably lived under conditions
to again aggravate the disease. Sucn
experience is not uncommon. Improve
ment arouses ver-confldence and
premature attempts to reenter active
life.
It is useless to theorize on paper.
What is needed are the means. Not
new institutions with expensive or
CARNATIONS, but the enlargement OF
present facilities at minimum Of ex-
pense.
What the Board of Health may do
is not a question of its disposition or
intelligence SO much as the support the
Governor and Legislature may con-
clude to give the Board of Health.
Nothing could be more foolish or ex-
travagant than attempting to multiply
boards of health and institutions. what
is wanted is abundant common sense
persistence, a moderate increase In
means. and the complete utilization OF
the facilities we have, enlarged some
what if the pressure requires.
Like everything else, the care of the
health and poor of community IS
daily grind and those who STICK TO
the grind do the good. tuberculosis IS
the one notable disease affecting CIV
ilized society, the deaths from it in the
Territory for the past eighteen months
numbering 5O2, while the next fatai
disease was pneumonia, with sTi
deaths; diseases of the brain, 2oo; "
phoid fever, 155, and diseases. OF the
digestive organs, 534.
ScScsSSsSSsScSScSSSs S>>sSssSsScSsSsssSSSsSsSSSsS
specially for use among the FAMINE
sufferers. Funds are utterly lnaoe-
quate to meet urgent calls for aid.
Reports of the growing Intensity OF
the distress are bringing aid from
America, Hawaii and other lands NO
distinction is made, in the distrlpu-
ton, between Christian or non-Cnr1s-
tfan Destitution is the only Quaiinca-
ton.
The editor of the Christian Herald
cabIed to the missionary commlttee
that he had sent one thousand dollars
gold for relief work. All that can pc
sent to the missionaries In charge OF
the relief work will be put to the pest
of use in saving these mult1tudes from
starvation and death.
It is well TO remember that nVe Genus
gold, just a nickel, is equal TO leo Cash
in China. That will keep one child from
starving for about a week Fifty cents
Ill Yxystf