The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1875-10-06
Letter From the Rev. I.owem smith.
. IL. Editor Of IA. HaI.aiiiian Ga.site:

and not licensed and several illusions havebeen OBJ
vioudy made in reference yself = medical prac-
titioner among the HaWaians.
In your issue the 2gth ut., II appears that
special effort has been made by the foreign members
of the Board of Health prove me guilty Of mall
practice, and that my license as praeteing physi-
elan ought to be taken away.
The scribe says that be gives the subsfdhee OF the
minutes Of meeting Of the Board Of Health held
the let sept but what he says is garbled. and in
several instances Incorrect that justice mysef and
the cause of humanity demand from me brisf state
ment Of the case.
On the l2th Of August Mr.. Poll was taken i'll with
fever and sent his wife to DR.. Trousseaus drug
for cathartie. lie took the dose which operated
powerfully all night aud passed into regular diar
rhqa. which be very unwisely allowed to run for
four days aud Hights. On the morning Of the 18th
was cal. ed in as his medical adviser. After examin-
ing his case told him that he was very sick man,
and nigh unto death. And I advised him to sendm-
mediAtely for of the foreign ysieians But he
said he wished physician but myself, and that
| / must not forsake him.
Immediately gave medicines to check the diar-
rhea; DR. Jsyne's earminAtive balsam. aud Dover's
powder. 1 visited him three times that day-and on
occasion rubbed his bowels thoroughly with pain
killer. aud gave him some to take internally with
boiled milk. according to the direction. relieve
collie pain, which had the desired effect. For n0urish-
ment that day prescribed a-roWroOt and boiled mix.
In the of twenty four hours bis darrhea
relieved but his pulse continued very feeble-cold
On Tuesday the 18th. went and Explained the case
to DR.. McGrew and asked what he would advise in
such oase7 He SAID, get pint Of brandy and
mix with it quart of boiled milk, sweeten it with
loaf-Sugar, and give spoonful at time. every half
hour Co.. said he, "tO Mr.. Ding ha ms store
and have of bis clerks gel you pint Of brandy.
hastened to the store, but it being ~ o'clock the
clerks had all gone to dinner but
Providentially, however, DR.. Cummings in the
store-and told him about the ease-and be kindly
offered to go with and see him. Alter examining
him while, be said" If he my patient
would give him $50 and sO.) Then said I, Please
prescribe for him in my behalf lie prepared medi-
cine in tumbler, and directed to give teaspOonful
every hour. lie also ordered beef-tea and raw eggs
beaten up in milk for nourishment. native man
present said he would obey the directions given. But
towards night. Polls friends around him. and
advised him TO stop taking medicine, and spend the
night in repenting of his violated coyeLant vows. So
the night passed without his taking iicine and
the next morning when visited him, he Obv-
ously falling fast. The sym toms all very
alarning. Dr. c., however. prescribed again-but he
continued to fail and died about eight O'Clock that
evening. This is brief account of my treatment Of
the case from Monday NJ, till he died on Wednes-
day evening.
On wednesday, the LIST Of Seotember, one of the
foreign members Of the Board of Health sent me
word through Mr.. Dillingham; that ought to return
my license to pr ctice medicine to the Interior De-
partment forthwith, and hush up all remarks that
would otherwise be made for complaint had been
made before tue board OF Health that gave EPSON
sats to Poll. when sick with typhoid fever. which had
him out of the world. Towards evening
ceved the following peremptory unex planned note
from the Minister Of the Interior:
DEPARrMESr OF INrERIoR.
Honolulu September LIST, 1875.
Rev L. SMITH, NHHanu. HonolHiu =:
Dear Sri directed by His Exceency the
Minister of the Interior to request you
this office Immediately the license to practice medicine
granted you on the 9th Of September 1870, and to
cease praeticing from this time forward.
have the honor to be your ob't serv't,
CHAs. I. Quick,
Secretary Board Of Health.
Feeling assured that there was mistake some
where addressed the following lines His Excel
lency the Minister Of the Interior and President Of
the Board of Health:
SIR.-As we live in a Christian land and where the
rulers profess to be governed by Christian principles
in the language of Ncodemus, Of the rulers Of
the Jews inquire: I" Doth our law Judge any man,
before it hear him, and know what he doeth 20 John
ISL.
During the time that 1 have held my license NEAR
ly five years. have been in constant practice among
the Ilawaans; and this added to the experience Of
nearly 40 years previous study Of their diseases has
surely given right to feel myself competent
to continue my medical labUrs among them. Ia very
difficult cases, have consulted with of our best
physicians.
protest that I have been guilty Of no malpractice
And stand ready for investigation before the Board
L 1
fore pray your Exceency to allow ne such an inves
tgation before taking away my license and thus de-
barring from laboring further relieve the suffer
ing OF this poor people.
1 have the honor to be your Ob't serv't,
LOWELL SMIrH,
On the 9th ult., sent the following note to the
Minister Of the Interior:
HoxoLULU. September 9Th, 1875
To His Ereeleney the Minister Of the Interior:
sIR-I respectfully request that you will send me
copy of the charges which have been preferred
against NE, before the Board of Health the reason
for commanding to my license the Interior
Department; and also the name names Of my
cusers.
have the honor to be your Ob,t serv't.
LOWELL SMITH.
TRANSLATION
DEPARTMENT OF ISTERIoR,
Honolulu, Sept 9th, 1875.
To Rev. L. SMITH Sir.-The Board will bold
meeting on Wednesday, September Sth, at 10 A. N.
at the Government House. room Of the Minister Of
Interior to listen to your request you will therefore
come prepared to plead your own cause.
Yours respectfully, W. l.. MoEHoSUA.
then went in person to the Interior Office but all
Minister or his Scribe was, that DIR. McGTew my
accuser.
After this had two interviews with DR.. MoGrew;
one on the sidewalk and the other in his Office /
asked him If he had made statement before the /
Board of HEALTH that in my treatment Of Polls case
had given him epson salts He said yes that he
had said nothing behind my back that he would not !
say to my face. said that when you called to get
a tonic for the sick man, you told that you had
given him salts, and said EPSON salts is very bad
medicine to give in typhoid fever"
replied to him, doctor, you certainly mistaken.
for had conversation with you how had treated
the case, what medicine had, had not given tho
sick But told you that the sent his wife
to DR.. Trousseaus drug store for cathartic and it
had puTged his bowels four days and nights; that
l had succeeded in checking the diarrhmA, but the
man was very feeble. preparation, hiceough. sc.
aud had called to consult you in reference to suit
able tonic At my interview in the Doctors Office.
asked him to give copy Of the charges which he
had ade before the Boardof Health but he refused
10 do so. lie said be bad just received a commuui-
cation informing him that there we're persons in
town threatening to prosecute him in the Of Ten
thousand dollars FOR libel. in case the Board of
Health should take away my license be said however
hat he was not afraid Of the prosecution but would
to the BOARD and get the notes which he LEFT there
and write them out in full.
On the 9th inst, the day Of my trial before the
Board Of Health, DR.. MeGreE being present, called
Tor his manuscript of complaints against me /; the
principal charge being that Of giving epson salts to
sick with typhoid fever. This denied in
correct for had not given him epson salts, and
lid not believe he had taken a particle OF salts from
he time he taken sick till he went to his grave.
Now. behold, on the 18th inst, when the report Of
he Board Of Health Is published % the world-al-
hough administering salts, was the graVest charge
hat had been made against me, yet when the sub
fancs eomes out the sas have all dsapueared prob-