The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-01
PLAGUE IN HAWAII.
Official Reports on Its Appearance
and Progress.

Washington March 1.-Two reports
bearing on the plague situation in the
Hawaiian Islands have been received by
the marine hospital service from DR..
Carmichael, the surgeon in charge at
Honolulu They are dated February -
Regarding the appearance OF the
plague at Kahului- on the island OF
Maui, the doctor says three undoubted
and two suspicious cases We're fePoIleo
TO the board of health at Honolulu, and
an examination showed them to be the
disease of a malignant character. seven
cases in all were reported from January
80 to February Il, all occurring IN the
Chinese quarter and traced to a store
in which Chinese food StuftS imported
from the Orient,via Honolulu We're sold.
The town was at once surrounded py
Gordon, the Chinese quarter destroyed
by fire and the bodies Of those dead OF
the plague burned. The situation IS
well in hand and the disease, the doctor
says, may not spread. There are several
large sugar plantations near kahulul
and it is impossible to say how much
intercourse between them an the town
Owing to the condition of affairs at
Honolulu vessels from the mainland
have been loading sugar from United
States ports at Kahului and the follow
ing vessels departed on the dates noted:
February 1.-the Lurline, for san Fran
cisco; the Viking from Hua for san
Francisco; February 9,the Edward May,
from Kihei for San Francisco, via Ma
kaWeli, February 9, the Eva, from XII
hei for San Francisco, via Haua; Feb
ruary II, the Mary Winkelmann from
Kahului to San Francisco. Haua is
about 40 miles from kahului and Klhet
u miles distant. No note relative to the
plague or suspicious cases was made
on the bill of health by the consular
agent at Kahului prior to February 10.
There are no means of docking ships at
Kahului and sugar is loaded by lighters
If TaoegiblG grPnantE will he made
for it's shipment outside of the infected
district.
In Honolulu, the doctor says, one case
has been recorded since the date of his
last report, that of a Chinese child on
the 18th inst, from the southwest part
of the city. Hartman, the white man
on whom the anti-plague serum was
used, is recovering. 1t has also been
used with good results in the case of
Armstrong Smith, a volunteer nurse
whose illness was looked upon as sus-
piciOuS. DR.. Carmichael says the Ia
cilitieS for disinfectiOn Of baggage at
Honolulu are inadequate. All baggage
however, including hand baggage, has
been sprayed with the 40 per cent SOlu-
ton of fOrmaline, the contents of trunks,
etc, being sprayed in layers and then
closed up at least six hours. NO pas
sengerS but first cabin passengers have
shipped from Honolulu since the plague
was announced in December II last,
and they are obliged to report at the
United States consulate for fifteen days
prior to their departure. Their resi-
dence in the city is recorded and they
are rejected if from any suspicious To-
cality. There is no available place in
Honolulu for a detention hotel where
all intending passengers could be con-
fined for the time required and in it's
absence the plan outlined above was
adopted. Only the local boat between
Honolulu and San Francisco, of the
Oceanic Steamship company, has taken
passengers from Honolulu since the
plague was reported, with one excep-
ton, the Gaelic from Honolulu to San
Francisco, on December %, after the
quarantine was raised by the Hawaiian
authorities on December -