The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-02-14
H|LO HAS
PLAGUE
Mrs. A. G. Serrao First
Victim.
SLIDES SHOW BACILL|
| Pnrtione of Glands Raceived--Rod
Portions of Glands Received Body
Buried in Lime--Dr. Wood
Goes to Hilo.

Hilo is visited by the bubonic plague.
The little steamer Kaiulani appeared
off the harbor yesterday morning, and
sent the news to the Board OF Health.
Several letters, detailing the history OF
the case, were received by the Board /
shortly before noon, closely followed
by a large ominous looking package
containing three jars, each holding
glands or fluid taken from the body of
Mrs. Serrao, whom the Hiloites believe
to have died of the plague.
Fo lowing so closely upon the appear
ance of bubonic plague on Maui, the
news was not so startling in its effects
upon the Board; but, nevertheless, the
gravity of the situation was apparent
to all.
DR.. Hoffman, Immediately proceeded
to making microscopical examinations
of the glands sent the Board; but he
| had difficulty in mounting them, on ac-
count of the decomposition which had
set in since they had been removed
from the body. However, shortly after
gazing into the microscope he gave
way to Dr. Wood. A moment later the
latter arose and said that what he had
seen was sufficient for him to make up
mis- mind to go to Hilo at the first op-
portunity. Many bacilli, resembling
plague bacilli, were apparent in the
slides.
DIR. Carmichael, of the United States
Marine Hospital Service, also examined
the slides. He had asked permission
of the Board in the forenoon to accom-
pany Consul-General Haywood to Ka-
hului, but after noting the presence of
bacilli in the slides he expressed a de-
sire to go straight on to Hilo.
/ 4 Case of Mrs. Serrao.
II A detailed history of the illness and
death of Mrs. Serrao is derived from
A the letter of DR.. w. L. Moore, agent of
1 the Board of Health at Hilo, addressed
to President Wood, as follows:
"Hilo, Hawaii, February 10, 1900.
Or G. B. Wood, President Board OF
Health, Honolulu.
Dear Sir: l have to report to your
honorable body, concerning the sick
ness and death of Mrs. A. G. Serrao
3 of this town, under circumstances thai
have caused us considerable worry, ant
. the nature of which we do not feel GER
I tain.
I Mrs. Serrao's illness began the
!, 25th of January with headache ant
= fever and DR.. Rice was called in; h
: treated it as simple fever, and To-
: a few days things progressed favor
= ably.
According to his statement, tn
fever ran as nigh as 10S, and was asso
ciated with some delirium. About tn
31st she complained of pain in the righ
, groin, which was attributed to sever
y lifting, as Mrs. Serrao spent most o
le her time in her husbands store, which
4 by the way, is directly over the moutl
- Of the Waianuenue street sewer.
"The End of February, as thing
y seemed to be going from bad to worse
s and the glands In the right side OF tn
IS neck had become enlarged and painfu
1t the case was reported to me. ! say
D. her late that evening and found as re
e ported, the right lower group OF IN
lg guinal glands swollen and painfu
Is those of the right side of the neck swo
s. len, and considerable of that side of tn
IL face.
e, "The temperature was 102 1-S, pulls
!. 1873 full. There was some incoherenc
. OF speech; she insisted that there wa
IN nothing the matter
"a "Dr. Grace saw the case with me an
~ considered it decidedly suspicious.
ie the place was quarantined, and u
20 Rice was informed that he could cor
-, time the treatment of the case.
l "The next mo- ming the husband ash
ed DR.. Irwin to take the case, whlc
he did. The two following days II
se temperature ran 1001a mornings an
re 102 at night; during this time thei
lg was delirium with a condition OF leti
argy and tendency Of diarrhea. The'
were also petechiae over the eXtren
a tiles, which were said TO be flea bite
n but which persisted till death, wnle
n occurred on the 9Th.
During the last two days the ten
perature fell TO normal with weaA x
pulse. the condition of lethargy dee
V enirg and the diarrhea increasing.
y at all times the mental distur pan