The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-02-13
Tracing the Infection.


President Wood says the residents OF
Kahului, and those from other parts
OF the Island as WELL have reached a
general conclusion as to the manner in
which the infection reached Kahului
Before leaving kahului the Sanitary
Committee gave him the following
statement:
Two months before the plague broke
out and quarantine was established in
Honolulu, eatables for Chinese New
Year celebration were imported from
China, via Honolulu, by a restaurant
keeper in the center of the infected dis
trict of Kahului. and one, at least. OF
the plague deaths arose in that res
taurant. These goods were not opened
until the Chinese New Year, and 1t
was at about that time the plague
broke out"
DR.. Garvin was left in general charge
of the work of suppressing the plague
on Maui. He has a complete outfit OF
all that is needed for microscopical
and postmortem work.
The Death Recorded.
There were seven deaths in all at
Kahului. On Sunday. February 4th,
the first case was found in a Chinese
wash-house by DR.. Armitage. He had
been called TO see All Tong. who had
been ill since January Both. When
seen on February 4th he had a tenn
perature of 104 and had an enlarge
ment of the glands in the neck. He
died the same day. The second death
was that OF a Chinese from the same
wash-house, named Tung Yuen. On
the night of February 7th DR.. Armi-
tage saw him, sitting up, and, as he
expressed 1t. lin comatose condi-
ton" He had high fever, tempera-
ture over 104. No glandular enlarge
ments were noticeable. .''@ fa
The third and fourth deaths were
those of Japanese. woman and her.
child three months old On the night
of February 9th they were seen. The
baby died the same night and the wo-
man the next morning. The woman
had severe abdominal pains and high
fever. No glandular engagements
were seen. These two latter were mere
ly suspect cases, and nothing is certain
as to their having plague.
All Ming was the fifth victim. He
ness, which occurred February 7th.
DR.. Armitage attended him; his tenn
perature registered 105 and he had
chills. He lived for three days. He
had femoral bubo with considerable
pain. Was bilious and vomited con-
tinually. This was the man from
whom the femoral gland was taken
VIII ich was sent to Honolulu for ex-
animation.
The sixth plague death was that of
All Sam. who was seen first on Feb
ruary 9th by DR.. Armitage. His tenn
perature was then only 100. The right
axillary gland contained bubo, which
was very painful. He died early, on the
morning of the 18th, the day we
arrived. The postmortem was per-
formed by DR.. Garvin in the presence
Of the physicians of Kahului and my
self He was perfectly black in the
tissues. The spleen was black and
large, and the left lung was also black
and soft. Slides made by DR.. Garvin
showed the bacilli of plague in large
numbers
The last victim was the one visited
by Drs. Wood and Garvin upon their
arrival and who died at noon of Febru-
airy 18th. Typical cases of black
plague We're seen by President Wood,
showing how malignant the outbreak
was in the little town.
Prompt Measures Taken.
All these cases of death occurred in
/ few houses right in the center of Ka-
lului's Chinatown. but it did not
spread out to other portions of the |
own. All the houses in which the |
'ases occurred could be put in the !
back yard OF the Judiciary building
SO President Wood states.
Orders were promptly given that |
should be burned When the |
Kauai reached Lahaina a telephone |
Message was received there that Chi |
latown had been completely destroyed |
~ fire.
Placed in Quarantine.
The same general routine of placing
he people in quarantine was observed |
Is followed in Honolulu. Nearly two
IL ldred Chinese and Japanese, with a
prinkling of Hawaiians, were marched |
nut to the race track where the quar-
lntlne camp had already been estab-
ished. Their quarters are comfortable.
They were put through the dislnfection
given clean clothes and guard
d from contact with the outer COM
nunity.
Handling of Freight.
Arrangements have been perfected
Lob 10