The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1910-08-19
Board Of Health Wants 10 Know
What City Is Doing and
What II Intends.
DOING IT ALL, SAYS MACKALL
Committee Will Look Into Mat
ter and Consult Governor
on Where Lines Run.
CFrOm Wednesdays Advertissr.l


over the question as to where the dutie
of the city health system and the dutie
of the board of health of the Territor,
meet or divide, and the sanitation ant
health committee of the board of super
visors was last night ordered to tax,
in hand a communication from Presi
dent of the Board of Health Mott .Smitl
and sift the facts of the situation q
| the bottom. The committee has beer
urged by the mayor and by members Of
the board, in meeting last night, Il
make a thorough and comprehensive re
port on this subject, even If it take!
the committee into special consultation
with Governor Frear to find out JUS
what the territorial board of health il
supposed to do in regard to the indi
gent sick of the community.
1t appears, according to the super
visors, that the board of health doe
nothing in the way of handling indigen
cases Of sickness except where patients
call at the dispensary; that no one car
get medicine or treatment unless hC
appear in person; and that even a pa
tient, who has once called at the dis
pensary and has there been prescribed
for, can not get medicine repeated with
out each time calling in person.
All this will, as is probably the great
hope of the board, work toward the
realization of city hospital, and per
haps the acquisition of what was the
Palama Hospital and its remodeling and
equipment as an institution for the
benefit of the INDECENT, run by the city
DR.. Bruce McV. Mackall, city physi.
clan, was present at the meeting last
night and he declared emphatically that
practically the entire care of the city Is
INDECENT sick was in the hands of the
city.
Mott Smith Wants Understanding
Mott.Smith s letter to the board says
Gin view of the uncertainty which ap
pears to exist in the division of duties
between the board of health and the
city physician in regard to INDECENT
sick, would ask that you favor me
with statement defining the work that
has been assigned to the city physician
Cases are occurring occasionally in
which this uncertainty has appeared;
generally cases where indigents were
unable to come to the territorial dis
pensary or to the city and county physi
clans for treatment" "
He wanted to know the duties of the
city physician in regard to treating pa
tients at their homes. 1t was thought
he says, that this work would be per,
formed by the city physician, the gov
ernment physician, prior to July, 1909
ordinarily having done this work. 1t is
not his intention to urge this work on
the city physician unless the city and
county desires to take the responsibility
If the county will not assume the re
sponsibility then the board of health
will take hold.
Mayor Has an Opinion.
Mayor Fern, in written opinion, de
clared that he favors a line of division
between municipal and territorial healtl
work and he called for a careful report
Doctor Mackall Kept Busy.
Quinn had understood all the tint
that Doctor Mackall attended to all tht
INDECENT sick. He wanted to know
where the territorial board of healtl
came in, where it began, and where i
ended. Kane thought the board o.
health should do something.
Doctor Macltall stated that all indi
gent cases had been Investigated b,
him, cases concerning which the boart
of health had been notified but whicl
always came back to him for investiga
tion. He was handling from ten t.
twenty-five cases day; it was entirel,
impossible for him to get all over tow
every day. There were lots of indi
gent cases not being treated at all; tn
board of health was doing nothing out
side of dispensary work.
, Quinn believed, if necessary, that tn
! board of supervisors go to the Governo
J to find out where the respective respoI
sibilities lie. He favored most thol
4 ough report on the situation. Logan
motion to refer the matter to the healt
, committee was carried.
Big Gathering Of Officers.
All the city fathers except AHA wer
present. His Honor, the mayor, heade
the table in new Norfolk jacket O
the superior greenbrown khaki brand
On his left reposed Private Secretar
Rivenburgh in morning toggory, nuri
ing his mustache. Deputy City Attoi
ney Milverton waited on the supeI
| NleoIS 10 dcQudluI lneu Win tne law
need might be. Other people Of prom
inence present, besides representative
of the press, were City Physician ]
McV. Mackall, Engineer Gere, Roa
Superintendent Wilson, and Jailor Asc
Seven citizens drew the boards a
tention to the alleged abuse of ofiit
on the part of Police Captain Kahale
ahu, who is said to have countenancC
a fstieuff exhibition back of the A
Theater, August 9. Referred to the p
lice committee
Garbage report for July, submittC
by Wilson, shows credit balance
S29.03 from $l400 appropriation.
Doctors Police Box.
Doctor Mackal asked for a poll,
box at bis office. Kane wanted TO kno
why he wanted a telephone and a poll
box Quinn thought the box necessai
in view Of the poor condition Of Il
telephone system Mackall gets his DO
Road Supervisor Wilson reported 4
July; Supplies purchased, sl399o.5
The month"; output OF road material
. sl.e2 per cubic gard, from the Noili
quarry, amounted 90 32l cubic yaTS