Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-08-04

Health held yesterday afternoon an old
complaint was sounded again in the
following letter from DR.. McGettigan
of Hama:
Hama, Maui. II. T., July 20, 1904.
Hon. l.. e, Pinkham. President OF
Board of Health, Honolulu. II. T.
Sir:-On June 30 about noontime l
was ordered per telephone by the Dep
uty Sheriff of Kipahulu, to start at once
for Kalepa Gulch to examine the body
of a Chinaman (Akiu) who had been
found dead on the beach. On inquiring
what authority he had for calling me
he replied that he had been ordered
by L. NJ. Baldwin, Sheriff of Maui, to
call the doctor to examine the body.
Kalepa Gulch is sixteen miles from
Hama and is between Kipahulu and
Kaupo, and the last four miles OF the
trail is about the worst and most dan
gerous in the Hawaiian Islands. There
are three gulches, between 500 and 600
feet deep. to cross. and the trail lead
ing through is at places on grade Of
fifty per cent. actual measurement. On
account of heavy grades and rough
country, travelling In Hama district Is
principally done on horseback and.
from the nature Of the country, is slow
and tedious. At Kipahulu I changed
my saddle horse for a mule and pro-
ceeded with all possible haste SO as to
complete my work before dark.
On reaching the place where the body
was made the necessary examination.
The body was in an advanced stage of
decomposition and presented evidence
Of death by drowning, in fact was
found close to the breakers where the
tide had receded and left. Myself and
the eoroner's jury were satisfied that
the cause of death was drowning. The
deputy sheriff and jury considered that
to proceed further with the post NOR.
TEN was unnecessary. besides darkness
was coming on. we were several miles
from any habitation without lanterns,
and to travel that trail In the dark
would be foolhardy. So the coroner's
jury brought in their verdict, and we
started homeward and attempted to
reach Kipahulu. or at least to get over
the worst gulches before 1t became too
dark to see. | was compelled to stay
at Kipahulu that night and return
home next day.
] am relating all this so that you may
get some idea of the difficulties | am
under in attending to this work for tho
sheriff's department. rendered a bill
lenclosed) for $50 which was returned
per Sheriff Baldwin, in the condition In
which you see 1t. ! enclose the cor
respondence between the Clerk to High
Sheriff and Sheriff Baldwin. As you
see in this letter OF the Clerk to High
Sheriff $40 is offered in settlement OF
the bill, and he states that several
years ago $40 was the amount allowed.
| wish to refer this matter to the Board
OF Health and hope that l am not pre-
aiming too much when | think you
can have the matter arranged satisfac-
torily. Under the existing conditions
whore these services to the Attorney
Generals Department are not part of
my duties | think my services on this
occasion are worth at least $50. and |
think the medical members OF the
Board will agree with me in this. 1t Is
mine will come before the Board and !
thought you would like to take up the
matter of compensation from the At
torney Generals Department to Gov
eminent physicians and have 1t set
tied so that physicians will know Just
what their position is.
Very respectfully,
r. j. McGETTIGAN. NJ. d.
In returning the bill to Sheriff Bald
win, II. NJ. Dow, High Sheriff's clerk.
said:
you will notice In your instructions
several years ago. that only $40 would
be allowed for post mortems and
autopsies unless there were great rea-
sons fully expressed for more than
So"
DR.. Cooper said that the question Of
extra remuneration for government
physicians for performing extra work
for other departments was an old one
He thought that Dr. McGettigan's bill
was a just one. Upon motion OF Dep
uty Attorney General w. s. Fleming
the matter was referred to the Attor
ney Generals department.
| DR.. c. b. Cooper read lengthy an'
very detailed report of his attendance
OF the annual conference OF the Publi
Health and Marine Hospital Service o
the United States with representative
OF State and Territorial Board o
Health, at which he represented tn
local Board. Also, how he. as dele
gate for Hawaii, attended the annua
meeting at Atlantic City. and repoI
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