The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-03-14
.From anturdaz,s Aavertlser.l

Il LUTON BkLuAuAlE GAONSlNiStN-I
One of the most interesting reports
received in the house of representa-
tives during this session was that from
E. A. Mott-Smith, president of the ter
ritorial board of health, yesterday in
regard to the analysis of poi and the
danger in unsanitary handling of this
staple article of diet for SO many thou
sands.
The report is in answer to resolu-
tion by the house asking for infOrma-
ton, due to the closing Of the poi shops
in the city on account of the cholera
infection. At present the board of
health is distributing free several tons
Of poi every day to the poor Hawaii
ans, who might otherwise find difficulty
in securing their accustomed food.
From the Kalihi poi factory, from
which the sanitary poi is being dis
tributed, three samples show the fol-
lowing fine analyses, according to the
analysis of Food Commissioner E. B.
Blanchard: First sample, sixty-five and
half per cent of water and thirty-four
and half per cent of solids; second
sample, the same; third sample, sixty
one and seven-tenths per cent of water
and thirty.eight and three-tenths per
cent of solids. In all the samples the
percentage of solids was eighty.nine per
cent starch and eleven per cent of eel
Iulose fiber, albuminoids and saceharine
matter.
"Inasmuch, however," says Presi-
dent Mott-Smith, Gas this poi is made
under restrictions prescribed by this
board and under its direct and con-
slant supervision, it is only fair to pre-
sumo that the examination of this poi
will not prove it to be a source of con-
tagion. I"
Then the report proceeds TO give the
analyses of ninety samples of poi from
various shops about the city, the re-
suit showing four good, four fair and
Ieighty-two poor-a pertinent record.
"The sanitary conditions at the Ka-
| lihi poi factory and at Mr.. Woolsey Is
poi shop were satisfactory, and these
places were the only ones found SO, !"
adds Mr.. Mott-Smith. Continuing he
says:
''These analyses show, and could
poi thus examined, for the reason that,
first, during that period (six months)
no cholera existed within the limits of
the city and county Of Honolulu, and,
second because these examinations go
only into the chemical composition of
the poi, its purity or pollution, ETC.,
and not at all into a meteorological
examination, which latter alone could
determine whether or not the poi con-
tanned cholera or other germs.
SIN order to give your honorable
body a comprehensive grasp of the
present situation it is necessary to an
swer your third question somewhat in
detail, and to that end the following
facts are respectfully stated:
"Cholera is a food and water borne
disease. 1t is contracted by swallow
ing either food or water that contains
the germ of the disease = and in NO
other way. This germ exists in count
| less millions in the vomit and fecal dis
charge of cholera patient. 1t lives
for many days and multiplies with
great rapidity in fresh water, so that
i if q stream or pond is polluted even
with a small amount of vomit or feees
from a cholera patient that stream or
pond will in a short time swarm with
countless myriads of this germ, and If
this water is then conveyed in any way
info the body it may at once set up
this extremely and rapidly fatal dis
ease.
"That this is not a theory, but an
actual and dangerous condition, that
now confronts us is abundantly proven
| by the fact that a sample of water
taken from the house Of Manana, in
Manoa, contained the germs of the dis
] ease, as do also certain ponds, of about
! four acres extent, in an area in Ke-
walo. bounded by King, Ward, Hustaee
and South streets.
Gin the smaller poi factories or poi
houses no provisions exist for disin-
feeting the poi barrels These barrels
are cleaned, if cleaned at all. in a
trough, pool or other eontainer holding
water, which water may come directly
from an infected stream. In other
words, these barrels may be washed in
culture Of cholera germs, after which
they are filed with poi and sent out,
! broadcast, into any number Of homes,
carrying the germs with them.
Again these poi barrels go oct,
broadcast, into many homes. IN some
of these homes unsuspacted eases Of
cholera may have occurred, or MAY oc-
cur, without having been reported in
any way to this board. Then from
such a home these poi barrels, infected
now with cholera germs by dirty hands,
soiled water or flies, return to the little
factory or poi house, where they are
not and can not be. disinfeeted, but
are merely washed In water, thereby
injecting the washing tank; they are
then filled and 10 ont again, still IN.