The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-09-25
Letter from the Rev. Lowell Smith.

To the, Editor Of Tie Pacjfc Commercial AdreTtiser :
SIR---Much has been said in the ADvERTIsTR and
Ga=ete Of late about physicians, doctors licensed
and not licensed; and several illusions have been
obviously made in reference to myself as n medical
practitioner among the Hawaiians.
In your issue on the 18th inst, il appears that a
special effort has been made by the foreign members
Of the Board Of Health TO prove me guilty Of NAL
practice, and that my license as q practiciDg physi-
clan ought TO be taken away.
The scribe says that he gives the substance Of the
minutes Of a meeting Of the Board Of Health, held ON
the LIST inst. but what he says is so garbled, and in
several instances incorrect, that justice 10 myself
and the cause Of humanity demand from me a brief
statement Of the case.
On the 18th Of August, Mr.. Poll was taken i'll
with fever, and sent his wife to DIR. Trousseau's
drug store for q cathartic. lie took the dose which
operated powerfully all night, and passed OF into a
regular diarrbOea, which he very unWisely allowed 10
run on for four days and nights. On the morning
Of the 10th, | was called in as his medical adviser.
After examining his case, / told him that lac was n
very sick man, and nigh unto death. And / advised
him to send Immediately for one Of the foreign ply
sicians. But lac said no; he wished no physician
but myself, and that I must not forsake him.
| Immediately gave medicines to check the diar-
rhoea; DIR. Jayne's carminatiye balsam, and DoVer's
powder. / visited him three times that dsy-and on
one occasion ] rubbed his bowels thoroughly with
pain-killer, and gave him some TO take internally
with boiled milk. according to the direction, 20 relieve
a collie pain, which had the desired effect. For
nourishment that day, / prescribed arrowroot and
'Sahs1 ShNNN - NHS NpAh1k VI - AD1A0 A1 NALA hNA
was relieved; but his pulse continued very feeble
cold clammy sweat on his forehead, and n bad cough.
On Tuesday the 18th, ! went and explained the
case to DIR. Nc Grew, and asked what he would
advise in such a case? He said, "get a pint Of
brandy and mix with a quart Of boiled milk, sweeten
it with loaf-sugar, and give a spoonful at a time,
every half hour or so. Co. said he, "tO Mr..
Dillinghnm's store, and have one Of his clerks get
you a pint Of brandy | hastened to the store, but
it being II O'Clock, the clerks had oil gone to dinner
but one.
Providentially, however, DIR. Cummings was in
the stOre-and | told him about the case-and be
kindly offered to go with me and see him. After
examining him a while, he add he was my
patient, l would give him $50 and sou Then said
I, please prescribe for him ia my behalf lie pre-
pared medicine in a tumbler, and directed to give a
teaspoonful every hour. He also ordered beeftea.
and raw eggs beaten up in milk for nO~urishment. A
native man present said he would obey the directions
given. But towards night, Polls friends came
around him, and advised him 10 stop taking medi-
cine, and spend the night in repenting Of bis vio-
lated covenant vows. So the night passed without
his taking incidence; and the next morning when We
visited him, he was obviously falling fast. The
symptoms were all very alarming. DIR. C., however,
prescribed again-but he continued 20 fail. and died
about eight O'Clock that evening. This is "A brief
account Of my treatment Of the case from Monday
A. ~, till he died on Wednesday evening.
On Wednesday, the 1st Of September, one Of the
foreign members Of the Board Of Health sent me
word through Mr.. Dillingham; that | ought to return
my license to practice Medicine TO the Interior De-
partment forthwith, and hush up all remarks that
would otherwise be made; for complaint had been
made before the Board Of Health that I gave epson
salts TO Poll, when sick with typhoid fever, which
had run him out Of the world. Towards evening |
received the following peremptory unexplained note
from the Minister Of the Interior
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, !
Honolulu. September 1st, 1876.
Rev. L. SMITH, .NuuGnu, Honolulu -
Dear SRI Am directed by His Excellency the
Minister Of the Interior TO request you to return 10
this Office Immediately the license TO practice medi-
cine, granted you on the 9th Of September, 1870,
and to cease pr~acticng from thig tine forward.
have the honor to be your ob't serv't,
CHARLES L. GULIcK,
Secretary Board Of Health.
Feeling assured that there was a mistrRN some-
where, | addressed the following lines TO His Exsl-
lency the Minister Of the Interior, and President Of
the Board Of Health
SIR AS We live in a Christian land, ami where