The Hawaiian gazette., 1883-07-18

Gross had never sen a case Of ieprpsy. Witnes.
shutfed one Of Doctor Gfcss letters On the sub
iect OF leprosy to fellow Physicians Of this city
and was authorized to answer that there was ng
connection b<fVeen syphilis and ieprosy, and thai
i on these islands It vas deemed contagious. DID
not consider Sanner safe man 20 be Al large
/ Thought the idea the day that be vas az thl
Branch Hospital was simply to view the worst
czsts- when Fitch mentioned letting Summer 20
ha said. aRcally Fitch, yOu would not do that
Was acquainted with eye uracnce, but oid not
pretend 20 Be an oculisi I've operations arc re.
carded As very tlificult. Cataract IS not one Of
the most difhcnlt operations
By Mr.. Russell. In cataract indiscretion Of
the patient may ninre the effect Of the operation.
Have visited the Branch Hospital i've OF ~ times
for the pu-pose Of sending people (lepers9 70 NO
lokai- Told Fitch that he removed the syphilis
| but stuck On the leprusy. Whenever witness had
doubt regarding a srbjcct, he sent him to kakaa-
! ko, giving the public the benefit Of the doubt.
he thought at one time that Sumner was going 10
| die. When witness last saw Sumner, he was we'll
| ia health but still a leper. Certain drugs have
| the reputation OF curing leprosy. MitIisSS had
been among lepers here twelve years. and had
| read nearly everything written leprusy, and
/ have vet no knowledge OF we'll authenticated
/ case Of cured leper. Had on arrival IN TINS
country the same idea that Doctor Fitch has, that
4 be could cure leprosy. Had. however, never pub
lisked his opinion. Do not believe the contagious
| character of the disease can be destroyed by
medical treatment Leprosy takes long period
10 incubate. probably SIX seven years; the proof
being that no young children have il, although
] sucked BY lepruus mothers the disease appearing
only after lapsc e years
| William Sumner. one Of the nine Cured ana
discharged lepcrS, hait-vhtte, apparently
about seventy years Of age, was the next witness.
/ He showed many of the symptoms popularity be
heved to indicate leprDsy- Witness said tnougnt
Board Of Health ordered his release. Had been
allowed TO go free for a certain time. Was now
| living with his daughter on makai side OF Hotel
street, opposite Hawaiian Hotel. First few days
after being released, lived with daughter. Wit
i -. III ffa
shoe and stocking froIp his right foot, showed to
the jury three sores -ene on ankle, one on sole OF
the foot and one on great toe. Said was about
sixty wears old Went to Molokai about six years
| ago, partly through own desire. At nrst was
worse; then better then very much worse; then
got medicines from Dr. Fitch and improved
Juror Magnin asked when sores broke out Wit
ness answered, Just after be was geeased from the
hospital.
Miss Agnes Aylett, for some time past teacher
in a school for native children on Fort street, was
the next witness. She testified that she had been
treated By DIR. Fitch for over year for leprosy.
DIS. BrOdie and Hagan were sworn. and their
| testimony eorroborated that given by DR.. Trous-
seaG. Mr.. Grunwald, person who had been OPP
Grated on by DR.. Fitch for cataract, testified to
| his being entirely blind
After hearing the last testimony of the witness,
the Court adjourned until.
SATURDAY MORNING.
DR.. y. b. Emerson was the frst witness called
and he stated that he had paid special attention TO
|
tween leprosy and syphilis. There are many lepers
now at large. In the cross-examination he stated
that he had heard the testimony of DR.. Trousseau
/ and agreed with it.
ecary: had put up prescriptions for DR.. Fitch:
Iodide of potassium was the prevailing ingredient
/ Tested urine for him. He said he either did not
know how or had forgotten. On cross examina-
ton he stated that all the doctor spoke about ep
rosy was in n general way
4. C. Smith-This witness was examined at
great length and the general run of testimony was
| regarding the positive statement made by DR..
| Fitch that he could cure leprosy. DR.. Fitch had
mentioned to him that he DIR. ~ had discovered
| the identity between syphilis and leprosy. MI
Russell cross examined the witness closely but
| failed 10 shake his testimony IN any particular.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON SESSION.
] The Court assembled at 1 P. Il.
| Mr. Gerke called-Am dealer in live stock; five
years first here at Honolulu then at Hanalei Kauai;
/ know DR.. Fitch, have heard him say that leprosy
was the fourth stage of syphilis and that he was
prepared to cure it, that he had the cure IN his
| pocket that it came from Norway, DR.. Fitch said
1 he thought he could better his condition by earn
ing the reward of 500 offered for the cure OF every
case of leprOsy; he went to Honolulu, and returned
and stated that he had been appointed physician
to the branch hospital; he examined several cases
at Hanalei one man (kuku) taken as a leper to
| Honolulu by order Of DIR. Fitch, Mr. koelling said
| the man was not leper. Kuku came back to
| Kauai: he is now fireman on PrinceYille plan
tation his nose is iat all his children have fat
noses the man bad always done his work on the
plantation; l was book-keeper on the plantation !;
| | know of another case a man sick with consump-
ton Fitch said the man was well enough to work ;
the mans contract was cancelled, and he sent
TO China when two days at sea the man died
| Gross erdHiHed By Mr.. Russell-Heard of the
| Chinaman's death at sea from a companion who
returned from the trip. ! distinctly remember
about the case of the fireman sent up TO Honolulu
| as a leper Am sure Fitch ordered the man Kuki to
be taken. hlr. Koelling offered to bet Fitch that
| thp
/ said kuku was cured.
| Mr.. Mehrtens, examined-Am q police officer IN
| Honolulu; know DR.. Fitch; Had conversation
with Fitch when he first came to Honolulu, he said
that he could cure leprosy: he examined persons at
the station house be looked at the tongues Of
some of the police officers and said they had lep-
rosy in their systems; said that cracks IN their
tongue showed it, they not treated that know
| of; they there yet; he examined my tongue; ;
he said might have leprosy IN my opinion this
/ was joke.
say anything about syphilis when examing officers
| this was some time ago.
DR.. Rodgers, sworn-An physician IN practice
| in Honolulu; heard DR.. Fitch's testimony IN re-
gard to dispensary during his absence or Molokaii
/ think his testimony gross perversion of facts ;
am still assistant at the dispensary in February
| last DR.. Fitch went to MoOkai; had no notice of
his departure until | read it in the newspapers.
| went to the dispensary in the morniDgi found
the dspensaTy gate locked reported IN person to the
Secretary of Board of Health; the Secretary said
| he knew nothing regarding 1t l then wrote note
to the Secretary of the Board, February It'll 1873.
/ The next morning the dispensary was open /
made certain inquiries the result was that wrote
anotkar note to the Secretary, dated February 8 )
the purpOrt of the note was that from information
| WAS satisfied that the closing OF the dispenSary
/ was in consequence Of DIR. Fltch's orders ap-
! piled for the position of assistant physician at
| kalawao leper settlement last December; only
heard Fitch say on one occasion that Mr.. Gibson
wanted him to go to the settlement as resident
| physician; that he Fitch was the only man who
| knew how to handle the leper; he said he did not
| know whether to go or not; advised him to go !
/ what he stated here directly opposite to that
| told to me by him, up to about April the number
| of individuals entered upon the dispensary books
] as lepers was .OlO, the books now missing.
| Cyoss Errniaef-By Mr.. Russell. If a physi-
clan adyertses in modest way his specially, it is
not considered against the code of ethics. Have
diploma from the medical department of New
/ York University. / had no key to the dlspensary f;
| did not think place was ever locked. DR.. Fitch
was the chief: / was only his assistant. Do not
| remember that l went there again the day that
| found the place locked; do not know whether the
| dispensary was open that day or not have fire.
quently visited the branch leper hospital nave
not treated patients at the branch hospital indie
/ pendently Of DR.. Fitch. A note unsigned was
/ handed the witness and he said regarding 1t :
wrote the note submitted to me, these are the con-
| tents" my own position to be at 5000 when
/ YOUR 5000 commences also a new commission
| as physician % leper asylum and branch hospital
| believe Gibson wants TO cOnciliate me. My pres
ent position assistant liStetu Vi
TO the hospital, is it not satisfactory" Note must
| have been written by me after my appointment as
assistant do not know the date.
W NJ Gibson sworn-My occupation is that of a
public officer OF this Kingdom; President of
| the Board Of Health /; my commission dates May
20 1883: have been present at the branch hospital
on several occasions when epers were discharged I;
| believe was present on the occasion OF the dis
| charge Of patients IN June am proprietor of the
Paeihc Commercial ldreITiseg, newspaper that Is,
| / am one Of those chiefly interested. recognize
the article entitled ''Lepers cured and discharged"
as having been published in that paper June 9th.
| am not the editor Of the paper although am
| consulted and give my opinion Remember the
occasion of the discharge Of lepeTs mentioned his
/ Majesty and members of the Board OF Health
were crescent. The patients were discharged on
the joint responsibility Of the Board OF Health
and the physician IN cllargei they we're dis
! charged In consequence Of there being no appar-
| ent evidence OF disease. Remember that Thought
at the time that the heading of the articl Lepers
cured and discharged was incorrect and placed
over article by mistake The witness said be
| could give the name of the writer, but Mr. Dole
| said he did aot desire TO know. Remember Sum
ner, it was understood that be was to remain with
/ leave. 1t was spoken Of hut not euioined on him
| to stay on the reef There are printed forms to
| be filed in IN case Of discharge. Some 10 or ~
patients were discharged from the leper hospital
| last wear. Only one physician approved OF the
case and that was Doctor Fitch. The opinion Of
i the physician in charge was the printed form
in use at the branch hospital cannot recall the
/ exact wording Of the cestihcate there was pres
ent the physician IN charge; another physician
| who was expected TO be present was i'll; as there
| vas only one physician present the members OF
Harto sricha1 n, have chance