Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-09-23

figures OF the past year. OF the 3940
deaths in the territory. 1872 or f7.5l
per cent were OF children under five
years OF age. Why should 50 many
helpless children die? Just take .
look at the cause: nearly all OF them
were preventable by means Of the
education and cooperation already
spoken of. Diarrhoea and enteritl8
$40. bronefo-pneumonia 3i6. prena,
ttue birth and congenital debility 226.
measles loo. acute bronchitis 100.
pneumonia SO, influenza 43, congenstal
malformation 80. meningitis 81, tn
beruclosis 30. Is 1t not worth while
making an effort to save some Of
these babies? 1t Is not the babies
born but the babies saved that count
Ignorance, improper care, improper
feeding and impure milk are some OF
the causes. The board Is willing 20
do their part. VIII you not do yours,
both individually and collectively.
You. as businessmen, can figure out
the economic loss of the territory.
With those more advanced In life the
problem is more difficult for we have
organic heart disease, cancer, Bright's
disease, cerebral hemorrhage and
tuberculosis to contend against These
five diseases were responsible for
926 deaths last year. But even with
these five diseases we can accomp-
lish much by cooperation, particularly
as regards tuberculosis.
Prevention Possible
Let US next turn to the morbidity
reports. There were 4437 cases OF
contagious and infectious diseases re-
ported during the past year. Fully
IS per cent Of these could have been
prevented had each individual con
cerned done his duty and CO
operated with the board. II case Of
plague or cholera appears IN q com
munity. the people become unreason-
ably alarmed and are willing to Co
operate with the board in every way
possible, but tuberculosis every year
claims more Yietinas than have ever
died in the territory from the other
diseases first mentioned. Let there
be practical and united Cooperation
between the board and individuals.
either singly or collectively. and
tuberculosis can be practically elm
mated from this territory. But there
must be team work II we are to win
the fight.
children,s Diseases
Take next the preventable dis
eases of childhood. Measles. Chicken
pox, whooping cough and diphtherfa
Of which there were 3112 cases last
fiscal year. The greater portion OF
these cases could have been prevent
ed had the parents properly notified
the nearest board Of health agent and
carried out to the letter the instruc-
tons which would nave been given.
Last year there were 2752 cases Of
measles reported and Of this number
fully 80 per cent had to be discovered
by the boards agents The idea that
children must have these diseases.
also that there are no after effects, Is
wrong, and II each one Of you WIN
help, and the board seeks this AID. We
viii not only have healthier terri
tory but better citizens. See that
every case of an infectious or con-
tagious disease that comes to your
knowledge is reported at once and you
will be surprised at the results. Let
me give you an illustration OF CO
operation Of the kind that counts. The
agents of 0laa Plantation telepl1oned
to the board Of health office that there
was a Portuguese woman IN their
office with a small boy-she wanted
to rejoin her husband at Olaa and
wished ticket for the steamer. The
agents thought the baby had a rash
which might be measles and aid not
TIE to give her ticket A physician
was there within 10 minutes, examfn-
ed the child and found It did not have
measles. But suppose the case had
been one Of measles you can readily
imagine the number Of cases which
would have resulted had the agents
given a ticket without having the
case examined.
A summary Of the medical inspeo-
ton of school children IN Honolulu
showed that out OF S1I7 pupils ex.
amined II per cent had defects 81
the eyes; 21.S per cent nose ana
throat defects; 25 per cent defective
hearing; 62.8 per cent detective
teeth. One cause Of these defects wa
their having had some CONTAGIOUS Or
Infectious disease.
Another preventive measure IN
which persons either as individuals
or as community can cooperate with
The board of health Is the eradication
Of flies. Let the slogan be Swat the
Fly. Remove all possible breeding
places, Insist on the food you Dur.
chase being protected from flies. Do
It and do it now.
There are many other matters
which might be mentioned such as.
improved water supplies, purer milk
and care of fnbeciIes and feeble
minded but time win not permit.
Let me say IN closing that II ftis
bunch of boosters and live wires win
adopt their motto: Prevention. Co
'peration and Health IN health nat.
'ers. and i've up to Il. there would Be
Iuch an Improvement IN the health
Ind ganifafi0d Or this territory |k@/
ye would be not only the ParadI6t 81
he Pacific Int n (ho 1-44II " 49,.