The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-02-27
MAUI'SPLACUE
DR.. Armitage Makes a
Statement.
Says Previous Reports Have mlsep-
resented Things - General
Maui News Notes.

The following letter Contradiotlng or
revising statements made by the Ad-
vertiser's Maui correspondent, by
George Hons and by President Wood
OF the Board OF Health, comes from
Dr. Armitage OF Waikiki. IL Is per-
haps unnecessary for this paper to say
that IL printed all II had In good faith
and based its editorial conclusions up
on news that seemed accurate
Waikiki, Maui, Feb IA. 1900.
Editor Advertiser: Your issue OF the
18th inst, received by me today con-
tains 80 many remarkable mlsstate-
ments in reference to the commence
ment and progress OF the plague on the
island OF Maui, that ! :eel constrained
in justice to myself and to the public
to present you with an accurate ac-
count OF the epidemic
Not only is your own editorialon the
subject misleading; but the reported
statement of Mr.. Hons, as well as the
reported official report of DIR. Wood, re-
quire very considerable alterations to
make them agree with the facts. In
one particular you are correct, when
you state that ! attended all OF the
cases: and now | shall endeavor as
briefly as possible to make you aware
of the true facts of the case, prefacing
my account with the remarks, that the
diagnosis of a case of plague Is fire.
quently matter of some difficulty in
the absence of archaeological evidence,
and that so far, no station for bacteriO-
logical research had been established
on this island, until the arrival of DR..
Garvin.
Case No. 1. On Sunday morning, the
4th inst, was called to see China
man residing in a house situated
amongst the taro patches some dis
lance below the Waikiki depot
drove thither, taking with me my Chin
ese cook as interpreter. The patient,
man named All Tong, was in an ex-
tremely weak condition, barely able to
stand, with temperature of 1912, rapid
pulse and respiration. He had come
from a wash house in Kahului, where
he had been taken Ill on Chinese New
Years day, and my enquiries and ex-
animation led me to believe that he was
suffering from malaria; but my sus
picions were aroused by considerable
glandular enlargement on the right
side Of the neck which had arisen two
days previously. His friend came to
my house for medicine, but returned
about three hours later, stating that
the man was dead. Immediately tele-
phoned to Mr. Hayselden, the deputy
sheriff; on his arrival told him that
l had case which / strongly suspected
to be one of plague, and requested him
to find Sheriff Baldwin and Dr. We'd
dick, and ask them to meet me at my
house as soon as possible. Some time
rxIyo rHc ha oh -, y
endeavored to impress him with the
gravity of the case urging on him the
necessity of strict inquiry and ex-
animation. and stating that in my opin-
ion the lungs would be found to be
seriously affected. DR.. Weddick did
not see me about the case, nor was 1
asked to take part in the postmortem
examination which, 80 / have learned
afterwards, was restricted to simple
examination of the affected glands, pro-
nounced by the Government physician
to be free from suspicion.
Case No. 2. On the morning of Feb
ruary 9th, I was called to see an old
man named Sam Yeng, residing In and
part owner of the wash house from
which case No. 1 had come. At the
time, was on my way to see All Ming
to whom / had been summoned that
morning. 1t seems that the old man
had been Ill for some days, but had
declined medical attendance. and when
| saw him sitting on a stool in a semi
comatose condition, told his friend
that he was dying. had him laid on
a couch. and found that beyond high
fever, and rapid pulse and respiration
there was nothing to arouse suspicion
OF infectious disease He died before
receiving medicine. Dr. Weddick did
not consider autopsy necessary.
Case No. B. Leaving him. passed
on to the Sam Sing store and restaur-
ant, In the same block to visit the
manager, All Ming. had attended him
on former occasions and knew how
easily he became Frustrated under a
comparatively slight attack of illness.
He was apparently suffering from
severe malarial svmntoms, chilIs. and
high fever ove' 1862. There were no
symptoms pathoenomonic OF plague.
with the exception of very slieht en-
largemept of the left femoral glands
When l took DR.. Wedd'ck 70 see this
case on February 7th. he did not re-
gard II as suspicious: whilst Dr. Wood
told me that the gland forwarded to
him for examination did not resemble
that Of plague patient, and thet IN
iCtNiN'hF u. anu LIT.
smiled. thinking that II was a false
alarm. Microscopical evidence showed
the bacllli. When last saw All Ming.
late on the night of February 9Th. he
was sensible. his Temperature had
yielded considerably to hyDodermic in
jections NJ oninipe. he was covered
with a nrofuse Derspiration. and was
apparently suffering from cardiac
syncora for which 7 Injected strvch-
nine nitrate. He died earlv on the 9th.
Cases Nos. and 3. These were a
Japanese woman and her babv. named
resnertivelv Yasn and Sc MorIkara.
Thew had come from Conn 7. Spreck-
elsvilIe. about fiftv dsvs previously.
Late on the nioht of February 9Th hav-
Ing heen summoned In visit them at
Kahulni, where thew were livine In the
same block IA the other cases. found
them IN he suffer'pe from hieh fever.
the woman comnlaip'rp NJ severe an
domirai main. the chnd showing svmp-
toms nj h-onrhit's. The child died dur-
H. - H. 81