The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-11-20
ROBIN ISLAND LEPER
INQUIRIES ABOUT MOLOKAI

HltnDtI VI ine upper CoiOHg oh hObDih
Island, Cape Town, South Africa. The
letter is one of inquiry as to methods
and conditions at the settlement on
Molokai, and is prompted, apparently,
by interest aroused by reports of medi-
cal treatment by DR.. Goodhue and DIR.
Holeman, and by Jack London's de-
scriptions Of the Molokai Settlement.
The writer is leper, and has been
for four years in the colony at Robin
Island. He is evidently a man of edu-
cation and intelligence, and has pre-
scented a scheme for the Improvement
of conditions at Robin Island which
has sufficiently impressed the Cape
Colony authorities to lead them to
promise commission to investigate the
conditions and consider the plan. IL is
to get exact and complete information
regarding Molokai that he writes, and
he writes as one thoroughly in earnest.
While not attempting to describe con-
ditions on Robin Island, the letter
gives some interesting sidelights re-
garding them. The letter is as follows:
Robin Island, Cape Town, s. A.,
October 90, 1908.
Dear Sir.-Having read last year Is
reports on the work that is being done
at Molokai and being leper myself, l
have thought that you would not think
it impertinent in my writing to you.
My object in doing so is to find out the
methods you have used to get the Mo
lokai Settlement into the present good
condition it is. | may say | have read
the account of Mr.. Jack London IS visit
and the conditions he describes i would
very much like to obtain here. | have
laid scheme on very much fhe same
lines as | fancy are in force with you
before the Cape Colony government, and
the Cononial Secretary tells me they
are considering them, and has promised
that he will appoint special commits
sion (before whom / am to give evil
dence) to inquire into the leprosy ques.
ton. feel that / must make this a
long letter, as | want you to thoroughly
understand the present conditions on
this island. The whole island is about
- acres in extent, and about -
acres are given up to the officials and a
large lunatic asylum for non-lepers. We
have here as leper patients about 120
whites and about 600 Cape colored and
raw natives, male and female. The
males are in one compound and the fe-
males in another, and they are not al.
lowed to marry. The majority of the
patients are housed in large wards, no
distinction being made, those in the
last stages of the disease and those
practically well (you will know what
mean) all being put together. We have
about forty white attendants; also 9
gang of convicts, the former to look
after the wards drawing rations, and
the latter are employed in road making
sanitary work, etc. Those patients that
are willing to work are given small
jobs, such as cleaning wards and look
ing after helpless patients, for doing
/ which they are paid a few shilling
, monthly. We have two doctors, who q
round these wards every day, but the,
do not do much in trying to stop tn
l ravages of this disease; in fact, unde
the system in force here they have n
a time. We have no hospital and yer,
little equipment necessary for the ear
rying out of any work to alleviate thu
= suffering caused by leprosy. Our foo,
, and clothing is good, and there is N,
I stint in either. j am afraid ! have no
very graphic pen, but / will try ant
point out what l think is wrong, ant
/ hope you will help me with your ad
vice, so that ] may be able to put thing
\ properly before the commission. TIL
ward system, in my opinion, is ba,
one, as many are well enough to Loo
~ ~ " ~ " ~ - ~ ~ y ~ ~ " ~ ~ y ~
a commercial centers, such as Shanghai
n Canton and Hongkong, in respect t
|, the careless and wholly unsatisfactory
), manner in which American drie,
n fruits, preserved fruits, crackers an,
n such like articles are packed an,
5 shipped. Prunes, raisins and citrol
n from the Pacific Coast IN ninety ship
ments out of n hundred arrive there il
a mouldy, wormy condition. This i
r due to the fact that they are not prop
+ erly treated before they are shipped
; and they are sent out in woodei
Z boxes. The same may be said of vari
e Gus kinds of cakes and crackers whicl
t are sent TO that market
T. 'There is very large demand, an,
: the demand could be enormously in
creased, for such fruit products o
y this nature, but to satisfy the demand
= the goods must be not only packed i
i small alright tins, but they must h
l. presented in tasteful and agreeabl
e manner.
II "Hawaiian producers who think o
d entering the Oriental markets woul
r do well to bear these suggestions firm
n ly in mind, and to address then
selves particularly to the needs an
r requirements of the Chinese market
e never failing to remember that j
g dealing with the Chinese. superior qua
/ ity; secure, scientific and tastefr
r packing; packages of moderate si2
It and uniformity in quality are the ell,
s. ments which will be insisted upon.
e "The Chinese market is one worth
At of the careful consideration of ever
" honest man who has anything to SCI
Sc The Chinese bankers and merchan
believe in square dealing. Anybod
IL who expects to engage in commerce
rs transactions with them NAV he saf