Honolulu Republican, Volume IV, Number 498, 16 January 1902 — BOARD OF HEALTH HEARS MANY REPORTS [ARTICLE]

BOARD OF HEALTH HEARS MANY REPORTS

Twenty* four Subjects Submitted Waging War Against Impure Foods—Wilder Company Wants to Carry Paiai. Sympathy for Dr. Pratt.

When the Board of Health arranged with the owners of a small sailing schooner to transport paia from Maul producer* to the leper settlement some months ago, they failed to count upon an objection that might h. raised by the Wilder Steamship Company, which Haims that they pos- • " a contract. signed and entered into with the Hoard of H'-alth. for transporting all supplies and persons destined for th« settlements on Molokai. The contention was raised by President Sloggett. at the regular meeting f fh* Board of Health yesterday afternoon. that the contract held by the Wilder Steamship Company did not apply to the transportation of paia grown and shipped from Maui ports, ti was with this understanding of the situation that an arrangement was entered into with Correa, owner of the si hoooner. which has at indifferent periods been taking small cargoes of the food supply to the leper settlement. The matter was brought to the attention of the hoard by the receipt of the following letter from Manager Wight, of the Wilder Steamship Co.: Honolulu. Jan. 15, 19d2. Hear Sir.—We are advised that naiai is hHng carried from accessible l> tu :i th< Island on Molokai to Kaiaupapa by vessels other than those belonging to this company. Under tender made for transportation for ■ie I.eper Settlement this service wa- included. We presume that we have not hern given this business through an oversight, but we would n speetfully request that we have an x press lon from the Board of Health in reference to this matter Yours tfulv. WILDER STEAMSHIP CO. C, S. Wight. President. Gasoline Launches to the Rescue. The original copy of the Wilder contract was secured and carefully examined The board arrived at the oncluslon that there was no provision in the document which covered the Maui paia. consequently a committi'c consisting of Dr. Sloggett and Me-sr-s Midi Smith and Fred Smith was appointed to make satisfactory arrangements for transporting a fair apply of paia to the leper settlement. Incidentally Dr Sloggett railed upon Mi Young, the owner of the gasoiine launches now plying in and about tiie .harbor. Mr. Young stated he wa- prepared to transport the paia at the same amount that it was costg the Board in employing the schooner. He stood ready to take up the work immediately. The report if the *p- ' ial committee will be consider.d before action is taken in the matter. Dr. Reed Has His Trouble*, in .1 letter to the Board of Health from Dr. R. H Reid, of Hilo, he states, among other things: “Under another cover I send you my reports for the month of December. After 1 received my appointment to the Olaa :strict. I telephoned to Dr. Nicholas Kassel and asked him where I could find the registration books, also what rues were required. Dr. Russel told me that he had the registration books but declined to turn them over or re- ■ elve a portion of the salary which went to me claiming that the Board of Health had no business to appoint me while Dr. Blake held a commis--ion for the district. I have made regular trips to Olaa and have taken i. y drugs from Hilo. 1 find the district very easy to handle owing to the numerous telephones throughout. You w ill find my report for the balance of the month of December very Incomplete, not having been in the district long enough to answer many of the questions ” Kahunas Are Barred. The reading of Dr. Reid’s letter

was followed by one received from Dr. Russel, in which he explains his position in the matter of selecting a government physician for the Olaa district in Hawaii The question is one which has occasioned much discussion among residents of the district, and from outward indications much feeling has been brought to the surface. The t>oard will endeavor to adjust the matter satisfactorily. Dr. Russel passes out some very spicy language in treating his contemporary, and makes pointed reflections concerning faith healing and kindred practices, to which he insinuates Dr.' Reid is committed. The letter, in part, reads as follows: Mountain View. Dec. 30, 1001. President of Board of Health. Sir;—l beg to acknowledge the receipt of your communications of Dec. 16 and 17. together with a commission appointing mo as agent for the Hoard. Since, according to section 16 of the Organic Act. I have no right to hold any commissions. I beg to return yours for cancellation. At the same time I call your attention to Section 11 of the instruments to Government physicians according to which Dr. Charles Blake, having furnished a substitute, continues during his absence to remain the only commissioned agent of the Board of Health in this Olaa district. Therefore no other commissions can be issued as long as the term of his leave does not expire, and as long as he does not tender his resignation, or was not removed by your honorable Board for cause. I believe that the commission issued to Dr. Reid, is not valid, he being unable to reside in two districts, I also beg to enclose a written an thnrization to me from Dr. Charles Blake to act in his stead, equivalent to a power of attorney. As a matter of fact neither Dr. Blake nor myself would object to pass the spbstitution to any regular practitioner residing in Olaa. should there be any. Unfortunately besides kahunas. Christian scientists and those practicing homeopathy there are no others. We regret the liberality of the examining board issuing licenses to such persons, thus encouraging superetition and deceit at public expense, and preventing the coming and settling of a regular practitioner in the district. Such were Dr. Blake's grounds when he requested me to act in his stead and my reasons for accepting itAs a representative I take this opportunity to express in the name of the people of this district my protest against such policy of the Board of Examiners as well as against any appointments by your honorable Board of persons who have their residence elsewhere. Kauluweia School Unsanitary. X communication from Dr. Cofer. Superintendent of the United States Marine Hospital Service, announced to the Board of Health that one case of bubonic plague had been reported to him from New South Wales, and one from Hongkong A complaint from a number of scholars from Kauluwda School regarding the unsanitary condition of tne closets in the building was substantiated by Sanitary - Officer Tracey, who recommended that the obsolete plumbing be supplanted by that of more modern make. The recoin mendation of the sanitary officer together with the complaint were ordered to be submitted to the Educational department. The request of Excelsior l»ige. 1. O O F. No. 1. that the Order be exempted from connecting with the street sewer and. instead, drain their premises into a private cesspool, was denied. The Board of Health took a decided stand in the matter of making figures and information of ail bidders public after the prescribed time set for the opening of the same. The matter came up with a communication from Benson. Smith Drug Ca :

who ask'd that a competing dmi finn lie- denied the privilege of inspecting the figure* mad** to the Board of Health for supplying certs n drug*, which bids were present-<-d and acted upon several months ago Th- body was a unit in declaring that the figures submitted on such < a-e* should always be open to the public after bids are opened. 'lf is a g >-1 plan to le- in the light ' n all pub’:- roaft-r- declared At irr.-y General Dot* It is important t* if who Bit r- nd-r- for pubMe ippiies *houM stand on an equality.*' Mr M tt-Smith did not b'lieve tnat an exception should t>e made in the rase of the Benson. Smith Drug Co ll* too favored an open inspec t;on of all interested. Tne motion made j)j Mr. Mott-Smith and second'd by Attorney General Dole, that the request >if the local drug firm b? d< nied was carried unanimously. Affairs at the Settlement. The report of I)t. Richard Oliver, I'.iident physi* .an at the Leper Setibment. fer the month of December how-d tnat there had been 14 deaths at the S*ttlem‘-nt during the month. 1 2 leper*. on* kokua and one infant. Th" < pidentic of chicken pox has (>a i !-ed away. The epidemic of mala rial fever and erysipelas has also disappeared. in tnat we have had no new canes for several weeks, but a number of oonvalesr ■ nts ar< still treatment. The report further stated that 231 patients were treated during the month. 11l were relieved and 106 cured. Insane Asylum Report. In the report of Dr R M. Malstsr, u-lilenl physician at the insane Asyhim, iie stated the tctal number of Miniates was 161. of whom 124 were males and 3" females. During th fi month 16 males and 3 f<-male* were received. The sanitary officer at Hilo report'd that he had obtain d permission from the Electric Light and Power Co to regulate th*ir old water supply which flows through the town in four ditches. He says that toe people are much satisfied with the new arrangement. During the month he made 642 inspections. Lepers Oisli keSubstitute. Th* proposition of a local film to Mipply a preparation to act as a sub--tiliitc to poi. and intended for the l.< per Settlement, received considerabl< informal discussion. While no (ptiri't- action was taken in the prern- • < it was d<‘ med best that several Hundred pounds of the preparation known as “Taroena" be sent to the S* ttlement to be used on such oceatons as thi supply of paial becomes < \han»t' d According to the Informat' ’i giv« u by Superintendent Reyt olds the residents at th-’ Settlement do not take kindly to the preparation. The preparation will only be used when the Sett!-raent is placed or Hour rations. Th- iv i- a difference of 35 cents in thirty pound lots between the paiai aPd the preparation, which is in fav or of the paiai. The substitute is considered too < \pensive.