The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-07-31
HAWAII A HEALTH RESORT
(By Dr. s. Goodhue of Homo lulu in The Medical BriefD


four years. It was natural to expect
an increase after annexation, when the
passage OF soldiers and others to the
Orient the arrival of large numbers of
Porto Ricans and invalid tourists,
brought new cases to our shores. The
spread remained unchecked, except by
the naturally favorable climatic con-
ditions of the country
In the six months ending December,
1906, there were 17S deaths in Homo
lulu due to consumption, about one
third of them among natives and
half-whites.
In his report covering the same per-
1od, Mr.. Pinkham, a vigilant and pro-
(. gressive executive, says:
THE more ignorant and prejudiced
win not listen to advice or accept good
offices kindly rendered The right
to be sick and die, and ignorantly SOW
injection in others is tenaciously
maintained. - = The well-informed
disclose but little more discretion and
consideration than the ignorant. Pub
lie opinion will not now sustain radi-
cal measures, bpt in the future may
think It best to protect general health
from the disease"
So far as the spread of tuberculosis
is concerned, the native Hawaiian. II
possible, is more Indifferent than the
! ignorant Caucasian. He takes no
measures to save the members of his
household from infection, and lives as
the leper does, in intimate contact with
his kind. Besides, the houses of the
majority of the natives are small. and
ill-ventilated; four or five persons
sleep on one mat in a small room, and
no attention is paid to disinfection.
Fortunately for the consumptive In
Hawaii, the climate is nearly every
where favorable to recovery. The av-
erage native lives a life of ease, and,
therefore, rests; and he spends a great
portion of his time out of doors. fish
ing and bathing. Yet, despite all this,
incipient tuberculosis in Hawaiian pa
tients. if .untreated, generally ends as
It does in the majority of other nom
supervised cases.
THERE is NOT, IN HAWAII. A SAN
ATORIUM OR HOSPITAL SOLE
LY FOR THE CARE AND TREAT
MENT OF TUBERCULOSIS.
A Home for Incurables in Honolulu
has some provision for specific cases
J of pulmonary tuberculosis. but the In
. stitution is not sufficiently endowed,
and depends largely upon contribu-
: lions for its maintenance. Moreover,
1t is not in the right place for a ter
, ritorial institution. In a recent re-
= port to the Federal Government. the
, President of the Board of Health says:
: mot only on the Island of Oahu
but even more marked on the western
: or Kona, side of the Island of Hawaii
s persons of means suffering from tuber
: culosis could find relief.
e This favorable district Is SOM
thirty miles long, and is on the slope
e OF mountains rising to a height O
e nearly $4,000 feet. Those mountain
y shelter the coast from the prevailin,
d winds, which are east. The first 80
S feet OF elevation is barren lava-abov
s that, to an elevation of 2200 feet 1
s one OF the most exquisite and eouabl
n atmospneres to be found anywhere
e Inc foliage is very attractive: no wa
II ter remains on the surface when
= rains. The temperature never rise
above 80 deg. F., and even at that de
e gree, should a person stand in tn
e shade, he would experience a refresh
1t ing and bracing breeze. The distric
y presents dry atmosphere from below
n tempered by freshened air from aboy,
% we nave reason to believe that Their
Is are few places presenting the climati
D. advantages of this district. The avel
age rise of land from the sea is fror
per cent to 10 per cent. The noun
30 tain Is skirted by a most exceller
s, macadamized road at an elevation {
s, l4OO to 1000 feet. The Pacific ocea
3 lies directly below, and in sight g
1t every point"
1t Now, of all places in the world Hs
IN wall is blessed with good general eli
re- mate 1t is, on the whole, extraordiI
n. arlly favorable to tuberculosis. An
" there are areas in it which furnish a
N the classical conditions as determir
t led by impartial State commissions.
4 There is also best place" acknow
edged by the local profession. situa
if ed on the largest island of the grou
h. Hawaii. 1t lies on the leeward slor
Id OF forested mountain, where the su
to shines a large number of days In Il
year. At an elevation of from 800
1000 Feet, in some locations, the rail-
OF rail- is small, the air balmy. SUNNI,
Id and winter; the nights invariably COG
I'd with a temerature ranging from
IL deg. F. to rs deg. F. There are no his
nd winds, except an occasional kon
warm and damp. It comes once
IL twice year, and lasts about twent
four hours. Very seldom Is there ,
electrical storm. There are no foe