The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-02-13
PLAGUE APPEARS IN HILO
MRS. sERRAo sUcCUMBs TO THE
DISEASE.
Specimens From Victim Examined by
the Bacteriologist-Ha Greatly
Excited About Case.

Plague has most probably reached
Hilo.
The death of last Tuesday was the
genuine bubonic article or something
very closely resembling.
About IL o'clock this morning a box,
which had arrived by freight on the
steamer Kaiulani from Hilo, was de-
livered at the office of the Board of
Health. 1t proved to be glands from
the body of Mrs. A. G. Serrao, who died
last Tuesday. The specimens were
packed in bottles, then in a tin case
and finally in a wooden box.
DR.. Hoffman began an examination
at once. Temporarily slides were made
for the microscope. Dr. Hoffman, DR..
Wood and DIR. Carmichael agreed that
the specimen contained the bacilll of
plague or something very closely re-
sembling it.
II consider the case one of plague"
said DIR. Wood. "In connection with
the symptoms of the patient prior to
death L think it is pronounced. Yes,
the bacilli are very apparent in the
slides made by DR.. Hoffman.
Accompanying the specimens sub
mitted was a letter from DIR. w. L.
Moore, giving the history of the case.
Following are the most important
points in it:
II have to report to your Honor
able Body concerning the sickness and
death of Mrs. A. G. Serrao, of this
town, under circumstances that have
caused us considerable worry and the
nature of which we do not feel GER
| tain.
Mrs. Serrao's illness began the 25th
of January with headache and fever,
and DR.. Rice was called in; he treated
1T as simple fever, and for a few
Gays things progressed favorably.
| nnOr6inp IN or fafn J,o
ran as high as 10S and was associated
with some delirum. About the 31st she
complained of pain in the right groin,
which was attributed to severe lifting,
as Mrs. Serrao spent most of her time
in her husbands store, which, by the
way, is directly over the mouth of the
Waianuenue street sewer.
"The End of February as things seem
ed to be going from bad to worse and
the glands in the right side of the neck
had become enlarged and painful, the
case was reported to me. I saw her
late that evening and found her as re-
ported, the right lower group of in
guinal glands swollen and painful
those of the right side of the neck
swollen, and considerable pain that side
of the face.
The temperature was 102H, pulse
138, full. There was some incoherence
of speech; she insisted that there was
nOInlng the matter.
DIR. Grace was the case with me ano
considered it decidedly supicious so the
place was quarantined, and Dr. Rice
was informed that he could continue
the treatment of the case.
HILO, February 1O.-Hilo has had G
death which is regarded as possibly
due to plague, and has been treated
as suspicious case.
Mrs. A. G. Serrao, after an illness Of
warranted posting the case as a sus.
picious one. The usual precautions
were taken and physicians kept close
watch. There were swellings in the
groin and neck which Mr.. Serrao ac.
counted for by the fact that his wife
who was very robust woman, hat
assisted his employees at the store at E
time when she was not feeling very
well.
Early Tuesday morning the lady
died. post mOrtem examination was
made with the result that no plague
germs were discovered and the opinion
expressed by DR.. Moore was that blood
poisoning was the cause of death. II
order to verify the diagnosis and Il
ease the minds of the people, portions
of the glands were sent to Honolulu
by the Kaiulani for examination by tn,
experts. In the meantime strict quar-
antine of the Serrao premises will bt
enforced. The body of Mrs. Serrao
encased in box with lime enclosed
was buried in the rear of the residenc,
of the deceased. When the report OF
experts is sent from Honolulu further
disposition of the body will be made
Should the diagnosis of the Hilo ply
sicians prove correct the body will bt
inferred in the cemetery.
Consular Agent Furneaux is at pres
ent unable to give clean bills of health
to vessels departing from this port
After consultation with local physi
clans he finds it necessary to qualify
the documents with the statement tina
there has been one death under very
suspicious circumstances. This will
probably necessitate quarantine at for
eign ports.
There is a rat proof fence
around the Serrao store, and strict iso
lation will be enforced until hear from
you"