The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-03-04
About Medical advice to a Minister.

SIR:-In your last issue appears an edi-
toria! containing the following passage =
. Nov we are assured that at the time OF the
late smallpox outbreak, when q Minister Of the
Crown was discussing with government physi-
clans u that time, the question of treatment and
management Of the epidemic, he was advised to
let II run It's course, that II would thus burn it.
self out more quickly-it might result IL u thou
sand more deaths-bUt 1t would save Il great
deal Of time, money and official worry Now If
the spirit which dictated any such atrucIOUs
medical advice Is the inspiration Of the OppOsi-
ton 10 the present dIspensary physician, We
trust that the Government Of this country Will
sternly rebuke the Jealous professional opposi-
ton
The plain Inference from the above
quoted passage Is, that physicians in the
employment of the government gave the
Minister of the Crown the advice held up
for reprobation
We desire to state that We, the under
signed physicians, were at the time i'm the
employment of the government, and that
as regards each and every one of us the
accusation of having given such advice is
totally devoid of truth, while, on the con-
trary, such advice is directly opposed to the
personal and professional views expressed
by us OH the subject.
We have to- request that in justice to us
you will publish this statement.
ROBERT MCKIBBIN.
III. b. HUTCHINSON.
y. b. EMERSON.
In reference To the above referred t. med
ical advice stated by the ADVERTISER to
nave been received by Il Minister of the
Crown, we are authorized to say that dur
ing a discussion in Council held 23d July
last, Minister Carter in the course of re-
marks i'm connection with the subject of the
epidemic of smallpox, while speaking of
his endeavOrs and difficulties, made a state
ment to- the following effect: That he had
been advised by medical authority con-
suited by him as President of the Board of
Health to let the epidemic run its course i'm
the city, and thus burn out more quickly
possibly a larger number of people might
die, but the government would be saved
much trouble and worry, and possibly
100000 of expense. Mr.. Gibson, who was
present, made reply to these remarks, and
we will quote from his notes taken at the
time, according to his invariable custom in
regard to any discussion of public affairs at
which he may be present. These notes run
as follows: II expressed my surprise that
a Minister of the Crown should tell us that
he seriously listened To such IL proposition,
AAA NehC ANNH NalbI hC lat llOI
followed such atrocious advice. Mr.. Rhodes
following me, said it was well the Minister
had not told us the names of such advisors,
as they ought to be iIooted out of the coun-
try. He characterized the advice as diabol-
zeal, and in translating his remarks to
Messrs. Kapena, Kaai and other native gen
tlemen present, he repeated with much
earnestness the expression nldndo de6eiO'
"a devilish ideal" 1t will thus be seen
that the statement made in these columns
and quoted by the medical officers of the
government in the above letter was but the
natural and quite inevitable inference from
what the late President of the Board of
Health had openly said in the presence of a
number of His Majesty's Councillors. We
are glad that the statement is challenged in
the manner it now is, So that there is a
likelihood that, through a fuller eXplana-
ton from Minister Cater, we may get at
the exact truth as to a statement which has
been circulating in this city possibly to
the injury of innocent parties.