The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-11-24
NEW AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SYSTEM
PROMISED TO BE AT WORK IN A YEAR

IL all the members were TO follow their
example. To those who stay away for
cause, I appeal that they arise and
make known their cause of complaint.
Possibly, it may be remedied if they
will make 1t known. Now, gentlemen,
is your opportunity to discuss this mat
ter. and any other question vital to the
welfare of this society,"
Money on Hand.
Following the presidents message.
the report of the treasurer was pre-
scented and adopted, the balance sheet
showing that the society had matter
of $40 unexpended. The surplus was
Leprosy and Segregation.
An important paper by DR.. Brincker-
hoff, on "The control of leprosy by
segregation" was read by DR.. Curtis,
the writer being unable to be present.
The paper went carefully into the ques-
ton of segregation, advocating it as the
only known method Of restricting the
disease.
"The problem can be concisely stated
as follows,' stated the writer: "Can
n chronic infectious disease of bac.
terial origin be controlled by the isola-
ton of the infected individuals Re-
ducing the problem to its simplest
terms and surprising il to be possible to
recognize and to isolate each case of
the disease in its incipiency, before it
has communicated the iufeation TO an.
other individual, we can answer this
question at once in the Affirmative. In
doing so, however, we must remember
that we are supposing that we can iso-
late the diseased individual before he
has communicated the disease to an
other.'
After stating that the existence of
an infectious disease predicate ties the
existence of the parasitism of a Patio.
genie germ upon host and that theore-
tically the destruction of the body of
the host, as in the case of animals, or
the isolation of the individual, as in the
case of man, is an absolute check to
the disease, provided the isolation or
destruction takes place before the
mechanism for exit of the parasite has
been established. The policy of segre.
cation, then, to be successful, must in.
clude the bringing about the isolation
ease as possible and making the isola.
ton as absolute as possible.
"When attempting to apply such
generalization to the disease leprosy,
we are confronted at the outset by the
fact that we do not know fully either
the mechanism of entrance or the
of exit of the parasite from
the host. Until we know how
early in the disease these various
mechanisms become operative we must
regard all cases of leprosy as capable of
communicating the disease. In making
a general statement that all persons
suffering from leprosy, in whatever
stage, are capable of transmitting the
disease we will be keeping on the safe
side. In doing so we may work hard
ship in individual cases, but until we
know exactly how the parasite leaves
the body of the host and how they are
to new host, we must
that bacterial carrier is dis
ease transmitter.'
The paper dealt with the various
points concerning the disease which
have yet to be definitely ascertained,
urging the search for moro data and
the necessity for an early isolation of
afflicted persons in order that the Incl
pient stages may be studied. Stress
was laid on the necessity of systcma-
tic tracing of the chain of infection of
cases located and the necessity of an
of the members of the
household where a case had been dis
covered. This would serve dorble
purpose, for it might reveal the source
., - IL LA,
MANY individuals in his immediate
he has infected.
The paper concluded as follows:
"Logically considered segregation is
an absolutely sure method of eliminat.
ing an infectious disease from a com
"To make segregation an effective
measure for the control of leprosy two
points must receive particular atten-
ton, viz; the segregation of the cases
as early in the disease as possible, to
Limit the production of new cases, and,
The completeness of the isolation to pre-
vent further infection.
"The most urgent problems for in
vestigation are those which deal with
the transmission of the disease and
with the righteousness of the early
stages of the disease.
''The most valuable material for the
of leprosy is the early, or
ihcipient, case.
"The segregation of lepers without
the examination of contacts or en at.
tempt to trace the chain of infection
is most unscientifc procedure and |
can not be expected to do more than
hold the disease more or less in check.
BY adopting such policy the prac-
tise of segregation for the control of
Ieprosy is discredited, despite the fact
that any well-informed person can SEQ
such a procedure is segregation in
name only
Election of ofiicers.
In the course of the business session
IF the afternoon, the officers Of the
society we're reelected for another
term. These are DR.. A. N. Sinclair,
president; DIR. +. II. Humphris, vice
president; DR.. J. r. Judd, secretary
treasurer. and Doctors w. L. Moore
and G. B. Cooper, executive commit
.eemen.
Many Papers Last Night.
mi. .a..:a-. l.uA