The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-03-30
(By A. P. faylor.)


The epidemic at Pelekunu, Molokai.
turns out to be typhoid fever. At the
village of Halawa. the first place vis-
tied. DR.. Yost was of the opinion that
the convaIescent man there had mala-
rial fever symptoms. This conclusion,
duly sent by wireless to the Advertiser,
was arrived at from the statements of
the ma Nves who had attended the sick
man, but as their stories of his illness
were conflicting, it was difficult in the
final analysis to determine whether he
had really had typhoid or malaria.
Certain it is that the fever had had
a long and alarming run in the village
of Pelekunu, where, in one family
alone. two boys had died, and another
was dying when the expedition arrived.
Another young man had the fever in
the walking stage" others had par
TALLY recovered and even for some
weeks past a death now and then had
mysteriousIy occurred. Such a mortal
itv in a village containing but fifteen
euts was depopulating the place and
the survivors were frightened into be-
Iieying that the dread power of kahu-
mas was being exercised over them In
fact in the delirium of one of the boys,
now dead he "conversed'' with a ka-
huna, giving his name. and he showed
Enthusiastically, that the imprint of the
old Hawaiian superstition was strong
upon his mind;
THE RELIEF EXPEDITION.
The news of the strange epidemic
was brought to Honolulu by John VIII
son of Pelekunu He told of the deaths
that had already occurred in Peleku-
nu. or people supposed to be dying,
and of the fight of one family to Ha-
lava He implored the health author
tiles here to take action toward re-
Iieving the sufferers. He pointed
strongly TO the fact that the island of
Molokai. with its almost impossible
pals. was without a government physi-
clan. or one who could now be depended
upon to relieve the distress of the
-I1upaying poor. In flush times there
had been a government physician but
under the present retrenchment of ex-
penditures, no government physician
is provided for. and the people are
without medical assistance. Dr. Mour-
=itz. the former government physician,
had even sent back his license to the
board when he ceased to be a govern
Inent physician.
If for nothing else, the epidemic is
a strong plea for establishing a gov
.ernment physician on Molokai at least
DIR. YosT OFFERS.
To President Pinkham of the Board |
of Health and to Secretary of the Ter
ritory Atkinson, Mr.. Wilson made his
plea. and it was then that DR.. Yost, /.
United States Army, in charge of the I
army hospital in Honolulu, was re-
auested to head the expedition. He |
agreed TO do so and he also offered !
to take along several men of the army |
hospital corps. The Likelike was /
chartered and the expedition left for /
Molokai on Monday night. On board /
were Secretary of the Territory At I
kinson. DR.. Yost, John Wilson, Mrs.
Fulbrook and Miss Birch Tanning, the .
two trained nurses, five army hospital
men and an Advertiser man. Medi-
-cines. special foods for sick and con-
valescents. and blankets and bedding
were taken along.
The Likelike plunged into rough seas
after leaving Kaunakakai The vessel
pitched and rolled and the expedition
took to the hunks. 1t was so rough.
in fact. that the sturdy little steamer
did not reach Halawa until early in
the forenoon.
THE HALAWA SICK
DR. Yost. Secretary Atkinson, Depu-
ty Sheriff Cockett and John Wilson.
and the hospital men with stretchers.
went ashore in the first boat. Halawa
is pretty, green valley. looking much
like Manoa. Honolulu. rising gracefully
from the shore to the hills. to where the