Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-03-22
SANITARY EXPERT LAYS STRESS
ONNECEsSITY FOR MOSQUITO WAR

Italy which belongs to Austria was
known as the Island OF Death" OF
the first twelve settlers in recent
times IL died of malaria and this con-
oition existed for years. Tie island,
! however was very fertile; and from
the standpoint CT its luxuriant foliage
could well be styled the Paradise of
the NJ editerranean." In the latter
part of the 18th centuray 1t sold
for $4,000 and changed hands several
times at prices going as high as $4,000
when the last purchasers abou: ten
or twelve years ago appe aled to the
Austrian government to free the ISL
and OF malaria The government plac-
ed the work under the direction of the
famous Dr. Koch of Berlin, who sent
Dr. Rivas, then one of his assistants,
and now an instructor In tropical med
icine at the University of Pennsylya-
MIA, with full powers of quarantine,
treatment and preventive measures
against mosquitoes and malarial pa
tients. In two years the death rate
from all causes was cut down about
SO per cent, and in two years more
malaria was absolutely eliminated
from the island Today the island is
the favorite resort of the crown r>-.ace
Of Austria, and the owner has Just re-
Gently refused an offer of five million
dollars for his property:
With the increasing opportunities of
these modern days for rapid travel
and communication, many islands and
isolated districts at present healthy
mill ~ NJ diatonf doto obaro The fofa
Of Mauritius unless, before it is too
late, effective measures are taken to
prevent the introduction of the ano-
pheles mosquito. Let British expert
ence in Mauritius be a warning to you
who dwell in the Hawaiian islands. /
The results of the campaign in Homo
lulu have been very satisfactory. Day
mosquitoes, the yellow fever carriers, |
have been reduced to al negligible |
number. In most parts of the city
they have entirely disappeared, and
the dengue or night mosquitoes have
been materially reduced in number.
The yellow fever mosquito is easily |
identified at sight by those who are
familiar with its characteristic mark
ings, and yet in nearly years time
but one single mosquito of this spe-
cies has come to my notice in the bus
mess portion of the city, where they |
fairly swarmed the year previous and
made life miserable for everyone. At i
the present time / believe it would be
perfectly safe to take a yellow fever
patient from a ship and convey him |
to any part of this city for treatment |
without any danger of being bitten by |
the s. calopus. Gentlemen, your CAM
paign against the yellow fever carrier
has been decided success, but you
mist not rest on your oars and COM
tort yourselves with the thought of
past achievement. This campaign, so
well instituted and so thoroughly exc
cuted up to the present time, must be \
kept going. You must make it perma-
nent
According to statistics from the |
board of health, the mosquito CAM
paign has almost put dengue fever in
the class of "has-beens" The report /
have here will convince anyone that !
the night mosquito has not enjoyed
any particular immunity to the raids
Of the oil brigade during the past
year.
From the time mosquitoes were in
troduced into Hawaii they have been
with US and always will be in numbers
more or less. Total determination
would be ideal, but is not possible nor
practicable Good work has been done
against the mosquito in Honolulu and
L behooves the businessmen Of this
Paradise of the Pacific" to lend their
aid in every possible way with the
End in view of making the mosquito
campaign permanent
feature of the broad general fight thatf
Hawaii Ia making against the intro
duction of the whole host of infec-
tious and contagious diseases.
To this end every man interested
in Hawaii's welfare should urge his
literally for the work |
hat is absolutely necessary for the
next two years. Such appropriations
should be based on estimates submit
ted by the president Of the board of
health, who is thoroughly Informed on
this subject At this point want you
10 hold up the hands of that quiet, en-
ergetic man who now has charge of
al matters affecting the health of this
territory. l care not what his politics
may be, he has made good as the pres
dent of the board of health and guar
iian of the health of the citizens of
his country, and in my opinion it
would be difficult indeed to find a
nan qualified to assume his duties.
The great practical value of the
'acts l have mentioned is patent to
every thoughtful individual. With
common sense, moderate amount of
money, and clear conception of the
and their habits. we should
De able to practically abolish them
md the dreaded diseases that they
larry in any community. Wise men
profit by the experience of others, and
. solemn warning is hereby sounded
est the history of Mauritius be re-
,eated in this Paradise of the Pacif-
c., which will be the antithesis of
if the anopheles gains entry
md along with its companion scourges
he S. calopus and Culex fatigans is
,IIau,ad 70 prono % without Tnn1ocfa-I