The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1919-01-24
BOARD OF HEALTH LNEFFICIENCY

A striking argument for county control of local matters is seen
right now in the handling Cor rather neglect of the typhoid fever cpl
demic at Kipahu1u. This outbreak probably started last August 1t
was not until last week that the territorial board OF health got aroused
sufficiently to send an expert to look over the ground.
In the meantime some 80 cases had occurred in the community.
It seems more than probable that the health department would
still be deaf and blind to the matter had not the physicians of central
Maui and Maui citizens generally become alarmed and voiced protests
that could not be ignored.
This week, for the first time, the board has sent an expert sanitari-
an from Honoluiu to take charge Of the situation. This followed the
report by DR.. Wayson, of the board, who looked into the situation last
week, that conditions in the Hama district ARE rotten.
But even this action was not taken on the health boards own in
iiatve. A number of strong letters had first to be written by bust
ness men of central Maui to their business agents in Honolulu, and
representation made of the situation through them. This got action,
self from a epidemic.
If DR.. Waysons report that Hama district is rotten from a stand
point of sanitation, whose fault is it?
The territory has had absolute control right along. If it did not
know conditions before, no one is responsible but the health department.
The defense will undoubtedly be made that a government physici-
an has been constantly on the job and that the situation was always
well in hand. Admitting that Hama has had a physician a part of
the time, the health department is not justified in expecting him to cope
with an epidemic of any sort alone. DR.. Broadrup, the present physici-
an at Hama, undoubtedly has his hands full in handling the ordinary
ills of a community extending from Kaupo to Keanae, without having
in the islands and doubtless handicapped in a measure by lack of
rendered Invaluable service in searching out and caring for the typhoid
cases as well as attending to his usual duties; and all this entirely I'M
1t might also be stated in this connection, that a physician is not
necessarily a sanitarian. The Hama job is undoubtedly one for a SAINT
airy expert:
The plain facts are that when the first cases Of typhoid fever were
made Immediately to locate, if possible its origin, and to guard against
us spread. The fact that nothing of this sort was done Until the public
OF central Maui, miles away, became aroused, points to negligence OF
indifference somewhere.
This is not exceptional. Rather it is the rule that the board OF
health, instead OF zeaousy guarding against epdemics, has to be prod
ded INTO action by public indignation whenever danger threatens.
Some half dozen years ago central Maui was visited with a small
poX outbreak, and when the territorial health department, which shoulc
have directed the campaign, got around to it, it was only to say tina
everything possible had already been done.
The several thousand dollars of quarantine and other costs in tina
instance were paid locally and not by the department which draws TO
Its maintenance a big lot Of Maui money yearly, practically all of whc
IS expended in Honolulu.
1t is hard to see where Maui has ever gotten value received from
The territorial health department. Local public opinion can always ge
action in matters of emergency while the cumbersome Honolulu burea
is getting the sleep out of its eyes.
A territorial health department is necessary, but in a much restrict
ed form. 1t should hold a relationship to the counties similar to tn
relationship between the federal public health service ard the states O
the union. 1t should handle nterisland quarantine matters, gather vita
statistics, supervise territorial asyums and leprosy stations, and hav
control of food and drug aduleraton investigation.
1t should be a department of experts, to which the counties mgl
partment OF the days before county government, is farcial. The day
centralized government in Hawaii is pau.