The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-07-21

five years, at Haualei, Kauai; knew DR.. Fitch
have heard him say that leprosy was the fourt
stage of syphilis and that he was prepared I
cure it. that he had the IN his pocket, tina
it came from Norway; DR.. Fitch stated that h
! thought he could better his condition by earning
the reward of $500 offered for the cure of ever.
| case of leprosy; he had been to Honolulu, ant
stated that he had been appointed physician t.
the branch hospital; he examined several cases
| at Hanalei; one man, taken as leper under DIR
Fitch s advice, came back to Kauai after witnes!
| left he is fireman Kilauea plantation
! his nose is hat; all his children have fiat noses
/ the man always worked on the plantation; was
/ book-keeper the plantation; l know
! of another case; called the man
sick with consumption; he did not do so
| the mans contract cancelled, and he was
sent to China when two days out the man died.
CToss-eranl ned i distinctly remember
about the case of the fireman sent up TO Houolu-
In a leper
Mr.. Mehrtens. called Am police officer in
Honolulu; know Dr. Fitch; when he first came
m HoncI--I-. ..,,liltte'i ~"'d ,nre lem
rosy; he examined persons at the station II 90
he looked at the tongues OF some of the police
officers and said they had leprosy in their sys-
tens; they were not treated that know Of they
are there yet; he examined my tongue; he said L
might have leproSy; in my opinion this was
Joke.
Cross-erdnained-He did not say anything
about syphilis this some time ago.
Dr. Rodgers, sworn-Am a physician in prac-
tice In Honolulu; heard Dr. Fitchs testimony in
regard to the dispensary during his absence on
Molokai; think his testimony gross perver-
am engaged in dispensary work; in February
last DIR. Fitch went to Molokai: had no notice of
his intended absence; went to the dispensary
in the morning: found the dispensary gate
locked; did not attempt to enter, but reported
to the Board of Health; the Secretary quite
unwilling to admit thu it was DIR. Fitch's fault
that the dispensary was locked; then wrote
note to the Secretary of the Board, as follows,
February .: Z" If my exclusion not inten-
tional, and put mp job on the part of DIR.
Fitch, then Van Gieson and the other attend
ants were all absent from their posts. l trust
that this will not happen again The next
morning the dispensary was open and the at
tendantS there; made certain inquiries; the re-
suit was that wrote another note to the Secre-
tary dated February s; the purport of the note
was that from information l satisfied that
the closing of the dispensary was in consequence
of Dr. Fitch's orders; had no further trouble
til DIR. Fitch went away again; WAS never locked
out again, the next time DR.. Fitch went away
could not find the surgical instruments belong
ing to the Government; three months in success
sion the instruments were locked up; L applied
for the position of assistant physician at the
Ieper settlement in December last only heard
him say on one occasion that Mr.. Gibson wanted
him to go to the settlement resident physi-
clan; that he was the only man who knew how
to handle the lepers; he did not know whether
to go or not; 1 advised him to go; at that time,
up to about April. the number of individuals en-
tered upon the dispensary books as lepers was
1000; it is not considered the proper thing for
physician to talk about his patients having n
Ioathsome disease it is considered unprofession-
al for a physician to speak Of his skill in any
particular disease.
CrosS-ezanlined - If physician advertises
in a modest way his speciality, it is not considered
against the code of ethics; have been in practice
about ten years; Al years of age; had no
key to the dispensary; do not think DR.. Fitch
had a key DR.. Fitch was the chief, an
sponsible; Niagra had charge; did not hunt up
the man Niagra; did not think it was my busi-
ness to hunt the man up; do not remember that
went there again that day; do not know
whether the dispensary was open that day or
not; have visited the branch leper hospital; 1
have not treated patients at the branch hospital,
except in following out DR.. Fitch's treatment
wrote the note submitted to me-''my own posi-
ton to be at $4,000 when your $1,000 commen-
ces; also a new commission as physician to leper
asylum and branch hospital. believe Gibson
H.,
assistant to the doctor, instead of to the hospi-
tai, is not satisfactory
w. NJ Gibson, sworn-My occupation is that
of public officer of this Kingdom; am President
of the Board of Health; my commission dates
May 20, 1888; have been present at the branch
hospital on several occasions when lepers were
discharged; present on the occasion of the
discharge of patients in June the joint re-
sponsibility of the physician in charge and the
Board of Health; they were discharged in con-
sequence of their presenting clean appear
ance; the opinion of the physician in charge was
on the printed form in at the branch hos pi-
tai; cannot recall the exact wording of the GER
tiicate; there was present the physician in
charge; another physician who WAS expected to
be present was i'll; in the case of Mr.. Sumner,
as there was only physician present the
members of the Board being layman, wished to
have n chance TO examine him; at time /
told DIR. Fitch that thought he might have to go
to Molakai as medical superintendent the matter
has been left in abeyance; he and his wife
seemed to be willing to go; in addition to leav-
ing the dispensary it was said that nobody was
there when DIR. Fitch was not there; that people
would leave the dispensary if DR.. Fitch went
away; suggested that something should be said
in the ADVERTISER about the discharge of the
persons from the branch leper hospital.
Cross-erdnlinatiOn-I have not studied the
subject of leprosy especially; am not familiar
with the medical treatment of physicians prior
to DIR. Fitch; know of no cases of lepers being
discharged as cured during DR.. Emerson's ad-
ministration; know of some forty who have
been discharged from the leper hospitals think
Dr. Fitch's treatment has been favorable; he has
inspired confidence in the minds of the natives;
DR.. Trousseau was the physician who
pected to be present; 1 think his name will ap-
pear on more certificates of discharge; in