The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-08-31
PLAGUE WAS
FROM HERE
Honolulu Chinese Dies
On CoptiC.
GUARANTEED At KOBE
No Particulars As to Identity Of Vic.
tim--News Comes by the
Doric.
(From Wednesdays Dally)

1t was Honolulu Chinese who died
OF the plague on the steamer Coptic be-
fore reaching Kobe, the news of which
was signalled to the Doric when the
latter vessel steamed out of that har-
Dor for this port. So states the surgeon
OF the Doric and he Is corroborated by
Marine Hospital Surgeon Carmichael
of this city who received the Doric sur
geons official report. The Coptic came
to anchor outside Kobe harbor on Aug
ust Is. the day before the Doric was to
sail. She left Honolulu August 2. Her
captain signalled there had been n
death aboard of Chinese, and they
suspected the disease was plague. An
order for a plague expert was sent to
Toxic, and DIR. Kitisato, the famous
Japanese expert on the disease was
sent to Kobe Immediately to make. an
examination.
When the Doric passed near the Cop
tic on her way out, the latter spoke
Captain Henry Smith of the outgoing
steamer. stating that he had been plac-
ed in quarantine for ten days as there
seemed to be evidences that the patient
had succumbed to plague. The patient,
they said, was Chinese who had
boarded the steamer at Honolulu as a
passenger.
The report of the plague death was
given out by some of the Doric's pas
senger's Monday evening when the Do
ric came into port, although 1t was not
officially confirmed. Mr.. Hall, one Of
the passengers for Honolulu, stated
that he understood that the Chinese
hailed from this city. Other passengers
had the same report to make. The
gravity of such a statement was under
stood by several Of the Board of Health
members who were made acquainted
with the news late in the evening, but
they were 10th to believe that Chi
nese from Honolulu had been stricken
with the disease. DIR. Wood had not
heard of the news until told by an Ad-
vertiser reporter. He stated he did not
believe 1t possible. He was gratifled to
learn. however. that Honolulu Chinese
or not, the disease had broken out else
where than in Honolulu.
Yesterday afternoon DR.. Carmichael
stated to an Advertiser reporter that
there seemed no doubt whatever that
the case originated In the Hawaiian
Islands. Just who thu Chinese was, or
where he came from in these Islands,
is not known. Simply the bare fact
that he was from Honolulu.
This brings to mind DR.. Woods state
ments made before the Board of Health
when the affairs of the plague were be-
ing ended and the city was about to re-
sumo its normal condition after several
months under quarantine, that the citi-
zens and officials alike must not cease
to continue the fight against insanitary
conditions as begun when the plague
epidemic first broke out on the 18th Of
December. If Honolulu has again drift
ed into an unhealthful state despite the
repeated warnings of the President of
the Board of Health that second cpl
demic would break out, it has been due
to carelessness in this one great factor
of cleanliness.
The report of this plague case should
be sufficient to accentuate interest in
establishing filtration plants in Nuuanu
valley and otherwise keeping the city
clear of accumulations of filth. The
news Is an argument in favor Of the
completion Of the sower system Mt the
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