The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-06-23
The SmaII-POx Case-Mr. HayseIden
an Reply.

The SMALLPOX Case-MF. HRyselden
An Reply.
To the Editor of the P. G. ADVERTISER:
SIR regret that DR.. Henri G. NcGrew,
in his endeavor to sxculpate himself from
animadversion on his official and profess
sional seton in respect to the japanese
immigrant ship. should convey an assur-
ance to the public of his unfitness for his
late duties as Port Physician for Homo
lulu.
In his letter of yesterday in your col
umns he says that advised that the vessel
should be taken into the harbor, and yet
he had in his pocket, or ought to have
had. copy of quarantine regulations
which he had been instructed to deliver
to the commander of every vessel which
he boarded, which contains the following
rule {:
Every vessel arriving of any port of these
islands. except vessels plying between any
two of the ports Of these islands, shall be
boarded by the Port Physician, who shall
examine personally the crews and passengers,
and If satisfied that no contagious or infec-
tious disease exists, or has recently existed
on board, he shall give the Captain certifi-
cate to that effect; but if not so satisfied, he
shall order the pilot to anchor the vessel
on tside the harbor on the nearest quaran-
tine ground, and the Board of Health to be
notified of the facts. No vessel may enter
the harbor of any port in this Kingdom
without the permission of the Port Ply
stefan for said port, except where the COM
msnding officer signs the health certificate
which the pilot shall present to him.
This regulation clearly specifies that
If he is not satisfied that there is no
contagious or infectious disease on board,
he shGU order the pilot to anchor the
vessel outside the harbor. The Doctor
says that he proposed doing 80, but he
never expressed such purpose to me !;
and I am assured by the commander of
the vessel and the pilot that he declared
no such purpose to them, but he author
lied the order to enter port after an ex-
animation, at nay request, of passengers
reported as sick of measles. He then
said these were light cases of measles, and
so reported to the President of the Board
of Health as his opinion, Independent Of
the report of the commander and medical
officer of the vessel.
And now he says that Drs. Webb and
Brodie fully agreed with him in the dag
nosis of these cases of supposed measles (;
and yet, after the thorough examination
is made by the physicians appointed,
there are no cases OF measles whatever
discovered, as none are stated in the fol-
lowing report
Honolulu, June II, 1855.
"To His ExcelIency, Walter II. Gibson,
President Of Board OF Health:
"we, the undersigned, made an exami-
nation of passengers per steamer q Yama-
shire Maru," and find at present three
marked cases of variola (small-pOx) on
board. We do recommend that all passen
gers be put in quarantine immediately, and
that the vessel be anchored outside the
harbor. Respectfully,
"HENRI G.. McGREw, N. D.,
"Port Physician;
John BRoDIE, n. D.,
"E. Cook WEBB. II. D."
Doctor Trousseau states positively that
there were no cases of measles on board
and no traces of this disease among the
immigrant passengers.
Doctor McGreW is clearly in error when
he says that the "same routine was car
ried out" in appointing medical COM
mission, as in cases of the arrival of i'm
migrants heretofore. This has not all
ways been done, and would evidently not
be required were a thoroughly expert
encsd physician in charge-one who
would not confess total ignorance, as the
Doctor has done, of the symptoms of
smallpox, yellow fever or cholera and
surely this routine was not carried out
when q Port Physician, accepting the re-
port of the commander and medical off,
Ger of vessel, permitted, in 1881, an in
fected ship to enter the hArbor of Homo
lulu and introduce smallpox, with all its
direful consequences, so fresh in our re-
membrance. I am, etc.,
FRED. II. HAYsELDEN.