The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-03-11
THE 1895 GERM Is DEAD.
SCIENCE AND LOGIC AGAINST MORE
CHOLERA.
Nature OF the Epidemic OF is95-The
Judgement of Physicians Here
IL Upheld.

The position of Honolulu's Board
Of Health in declaring the epidemic
Of 1895 10 be genuine Asiatic cho-
lera is being sustained by the best
medical and meteorological author
tiles in the United States and
Europe. Every mail adds fresh
concurrence in the original opinion
Of the local physicians. Even those
authorities who have not stated
positively their conclusions have in
variably added that from the exam
nations, SO far as they have been
pursued, no doubt is made that the
cultures show the genuine comma
bacilli.
As a matter OF fact, however, it
is well known that the few who
found occasion at the time to criti-
CHE the decision of the Board of
Health made but a cursory exami-
nation Of patients under treatment
at the cholera hospital and did not
make any cultures at all. The
doctors who had attended every pa
tlent at the hospital, noted the
progress of every case, followed out
every symptom and made, with
great care, the culture, held to the
opposite view. And strange as it
may seem even at this day the
gentlemen Of the Surface analyses
have disciples.
Two of the American opinions
come from renowned medical men
on mounted germs taken from
Honolulu by son of the Chief
Justice now at Yale and to be
physician. Both conclude that the
germ examined by them was the
genuine comma bacilli. A
graduate OF Edinburgh, re-
Gently here, says: There is
absolutely no question but that
the cultures are of the genuine
Asiatic cholera germ" A celebrated
German Psychologist announces
that while not yet ready to submit
his official report he has not the
slightest doubt but that his cultures
of Honolulu cholera show the per.
feet type of comma bacilli.
Physicians of the Board OF
Health did not submit these cul.
lures to the physicians mentioned,
They were forwarded, for the most
part, by microscopists and medical
students, The physicians of the
Board decided the matter after the
appearance Of the fourth cas-
last August and have never
receded an inch from their
position. The opinions now at
hand and official reports on the way
may therefore be taken as addition
al work outside of the Board and
additional substantiation Of the es-
tablished fact.
The promp. ness Of the physicians
OF the Board of Health to detect
and announce cholera, a disease
never before known here, is matter
of which any country might well
feel proud. Suspicious were arous-
ed when the first cas- at Iwilei was
reported by DR.. Murray, and right
then the work of examination be-
gan. So rapidly was the work
done, and so close the study, that
when the fifth case appeared the
Board of Health was in position to
announce the terrible truth-the
existence of Asiatic cholera here.
DR.. Wood was seen Tuesday
night and asked if there was pos
sibility Of cholera breaking out
here again this spring, as is the
case in many instances. He an
swered: II think not. In colder
climates cholera disappears at the
approach of winter and reappaars
the following spring. The reason
of this is simple: In cold weather
the germ passes into a dormant
state, but does not die. 1t will
live indefinitely in ice. When
Spring comes, and the thawing
process has worked itself out, the
comma bacilli reappears as lively
and destructive as when frozen in
the Autumn before. Here we have
no cold weather. There is nothing
in climatic conditions to stem the
progress Of the disease. Therefore
what caused it to die last year must
prove permanent in its effect. The
comma bacilli Of '95 will be NJ
more alive this summer than it is
now. | hold that the disease wa.