Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-02-18
Able and Powerful Addresses
Made by Physicians at Joint
Meeting of Merchants Asso-
citation and Chamber of Com
rnerce

rlerCe
Asking the support of the CONNER
cial and business men of Honolulu in
urging legislation to perfect the
health and sanitation system In this
city and throughout the Territory,
able addresses were delivered at a
special meeting OF the Merchants As
ISOLATION and the Chamber of Com
merce yesterday afternoon by DR. j,
S. B. Pratt, president of the beard OF
health; DR.. F. B. Trotter, chief quar-
antine surgeon, and DIR. Z. r.. Mar
shall Of the u. S. public health and
marine hospital service
DR.. Pratt gave a general review Of
the health situation, of the changes
that should be made for its better
ment, and explained his reasons in
full DR.. TTotter, discussing the
plague rat problem, urged that rat
pfuoting the city for mile in radius
from the port in every direction.
while DIR. Marshall told of the mos
quito campaign and of the necessity
for its maintenance.
DR.. Trotter urged that San Francis
cos example, in rat-profing all
wharyes, be followed, and in answer
to a question from President E. F..
Bishop of the Chamber of Commerce,
he said the only reason that Homo
lulu has not already suffered from a
severes attack of the plague carried by
the rats is that the rodents here thus
far do not appear to be infected. The
health board is constantly killing the
animals, hut at present an infected
rat is found rarely. Should a few in
fected animals from Shanghai or an
other infested Oriental port escape
from ships at this port, the contagi-
Gus, dread nialady would quickly
spread throughout this and the other
islands, because the rodent is a mar
vellous traveller.
Pointing his reason for urging the
maintenance of the mosquito cam
paign, DR.. Marshall cited the case of
the island of Mauritius, once regard
ed as an ideal health spot but now a
ruinous death trap, made so by the
appearance of the anopheles mosque
to. He also. told of an island in the
Mediterranean, now the favorite re-
sort of the heir apparent of Austria,
but which was once sold for $4,000
because it had a death rate OF nine
for every ten persons. The govern
nent finally took a hand howeyers in
stituted an anti-mesquito, campaign
and modern sanitation and quickly
cleaned up the malarial pest. Re-
Gently the present owner refused
5000. 900 for it,
Praising the efficacy of the mos
quito work in Honolulu he said that q
yellow. fever patient might be brought
Into the city with little fear of start
ING an epidemic, because there was SO
little danger from the germ-carrying
insect. due to its absence. But II the
MOSQUITO were to get a footing here,
| he stated, it would be worse than the
plague, yellow fever or any other
disease that could be introduced.
New sanitation laws which the
legislature will be asked to pass were
outlined by DIR. Pratt in his address,
given in part below:
MANY people think that the board
of health has All the laws necessary
| and as regards their general powers,
that is probably true but there are
certain powers which should be given
specifically so that there can be no
misunderstanding.
Needs More Jurisdiction
tsThere are also certain matters
over which, the board of health does
mot have Jurisdiction but which are
vital to the health of the community
water and sewer systems are I'M
der the Jurisdiction of the different
lcounties and this is all right but the
board of health should also have some
jurisdiction. BY this jurisdiction is
not meant the construction of water
| or sewer systems but the power to
lsay, after Investigation, whether OF
not a certain water supply for ex.
ample is pure enough for the public
Ito use or what localities are most in
need of sewer system. 1t would
also give the power to the board over
other water supplies which may not
| be under the control of counties.
'fWhy does the board of health
wish this power? Many reasons may
be given but will only mention a
few Pure water is as essential to
health as pure food or pure air. BY
Il
having this power the board of health
would be able to prevent the use OF
polluted water, could see that a
proper method of distribution was in
stalled, could safeguard the source
and watershed, could have publication
plants installed where necessary
would be better able to protect the
community against water borne di.
seases, prevent the pollution OF
streams with sewage and by means OF
its knowledge Of the various dis
tricts would be able to advise where
sewers are needed. Also. where, by
reason of overlooking cesspools, privy
vaults or inadequate sewerage systems
| the public health was endangered
they would have power to remedy the
same.
Protect the Fish
"A number Of years ago the
mosquito fish or top minnow were
brought here at considerable expense.
During the past few years, fishermen
have been SEEMING the small ponds
and streams to get these fish to use
as bait.