Hawaii Holomua, Volume III, Number 267, 25 July 1893 — Untitled [ARTICLE]

Ol - t of evii aomeliniea eomea good and on« Ihinp is certain that Ihe bold Btatid that Koolau has laken i I' refusing to be segrega le<i on Mol 'kai and ihe disistroualy f.it:i 1 results whieh have lollowed lhe*itemi>t to enforce the law so far have causcd greater attention to th* question of the wisdom of gegregation and tbe manner in whieh ieners and auapeela are treated onee they get in the charge of Uie Board of Heallh than anything eiae could have done. Heretofore with the exception of those related tu> the lepers, the medical frateruity, and a few- philanthropic and thinkingindividua)8 the matter liaa been looked on b}' the general l»ublic as one to be put aaide on aeeoum of ita repulsive natnre, with •imply a general acquiescence in the policy of segreg.itiou aa being the best and aurest m<>ans for duing so. Now however aeeirching investjgation iuto the whole matter is iu'cessary and everything shou!d be sifted from top to bottom and posaibly it will now be recognized that ihe late Mr. Gibson had some renson m b ginniug the pohcy of investigation he pursued, and in waiting from too Beverely enforcing the slrict letter of the iaw and so increH8ing the repulsion of the people to it, while by gentlo per«uaaion and provision of better treat:nent than had previous’y been is«ued, and the trying of gyery possible or probable method9 of alleged or expected cures and so holdmp out aome hope to the unfor lunate, who would voluntariiy eome under the care of the Board of Health, that he might b«netitbyso doing. Lepn>ay is au ever-present evil and danger to evsryone in this oommunity so long as we know so Lttle of it, hut that does not excuse (he community for blindly rushiug kito intolerance and tyranny and buuting the unf»rtuuate9 down kike brute beasts. Tbe evil is bere aud the queation raust be faced aeriouslv, but judic:ously, and with as mueh kindnos» and care for the unfortunate sufferera aa ia consist•it with the freedora frhm danger •f the reat of comnaunity. The Board of Heallh have now an opportunity to sbow what dependence all ean plaee in their wiadom, dispositions, and care for the puhlie heaUh and safty. Or. Trousseau's action in resigntng from the Board of Medieal in> •peotora oa Wprosy, and the fact khat hs haa written a lettsr whieh

ia to be publisbed containing hi« vi«ws on the non-contagionsn«ss and non-inoculability of leprosv will alill further create eommenl and discu8sion, *nd iead to inv«9tigation by tbinking men fmm the very facl that Dr. Trousseau bas always stood in the front rauk of hia profession here and bis attainments aud skill are well-known abroad. While n»t at the present time proposing to diacuss the correctness <»r otherwise of the Doctora’ views and the results of his deductions from his experience m the question, still we hearlily approve of his action as tending still further to the ultimate solution of the difficulty whieh eanno lmger be hid in h barrel or ignored tacitly by having no discussion, and frowning ou those who presume to allude to the uiisavory subject. Let us face the matter bolaly. Leprosy ia an evil whieh undoubted!y exists here, and we must deal with it as men.