The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-07-03


charges and a high mortality.
THE disease is not highly conta.
gious, physicians and nurses in close
contact with patients are not often
attacked. Washerwomen, through
intimate contact with linen soiled by
the dejecta from the sick, are often
stricken with the disease.
Vegetables which have been
washed in infected water, Iettuces,
water crosses, etc, in particular, may
convey the contaglon. In a similar
manner the milk supply may be von-
manner the milk supply may be con.
different foods, bread, butter, meat.
for a week or more.
"The possibility of the disease be-
ing conveyed by flies should always
be borne in mind, as it has been
shown that they can harbor the
cholera germs in their intestines for
several days.
infection rarely, if ever, occurs
through the atmosphere, for the
germs when exposed to the air die
rapidly
Cholera is essentially a water
borne disease, the germ entering the
human system by the mouth through
the agency of contaminated water
used for drinking cooking and wash
ing. The severity of an epidemic. IN
any community. is in direct proper
ton to the contamination of the
water supply. From a study of the
great epidemics, the conclusion has
been reached that the disease follows
the main routes of human inter-
course, and is conveyed, for the most
part, by man alone from one country
to another. From the foregoing, it
can readily be seen. how single
unrecognized case of cholera in this
city could infect the water of the
harbor. and incidentally shell fish and
sea grasses on the reefs, much used
as articles of diet by the natives,
through the sewage, and a formidable
epidemic might ensue before it could
be gotten under complete control,
while in the meantime the loss of life
and loss of commerce to the port
would be woeful indeed"
Possible Sources of Infection.
There are two avenues by which
the Hawaiian Islands are likely to be
infected with Asiatic cholera.
"O From the Philippines. China
and Japan.
"(2) From Italy, Russia, Spain,
Madeiras, via the Tehuantepec route,
and later on via the Panama canal.
while it is possible that the infec-
ton may come by the latter route, it
is highly probable that our initial
cases viii reach us from the Orient.
In the light of our present knowl-
edge Of cholera, it is almost miracu-
lows that it has failed thus far to gam
entrance to the islands. 1t is not the
typical case of cholera that would
prove to be such menace to the
public health of this community, for
the solution of this problem would be
comparatively simple under modern
quarantine procedure.
"The gravest danger would come
from those individuals known as
bacillus carriers" which means that
though the person harbors the infect
ing agent in his system, yet he is not
aware of any illness, nor does he ex.
hibit any symptoms of the disease.
Such a person as described above
may remain infective, according to
the latest researches on the subject,
from twenty to seventy days. after
which time the individual becomes
inoccuous. With our fast ocean
going steamships and express trains,
IT. can be readily understood how one
OF these apparently harmless car
riers' may have time to Journey many
thousands of miles and incidentally
spread the germs of this dreaded dis
ease in other lands, even where the
utmost sanitary vigilance is exer-
cised, Already the infection has
reached the port of New York
through the steady and growing
stream Of immigration from Europe,
but serious consequences have been
avoided by proper sanitary control.
BY an excellent system recently
adopted and carried out at the ports
of New York, Boston, Philadelphia,
Baltimore, New Orleans and Calves
ton, the state boards Of health are