The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-06-04
DISCHARGED FROM
KAu|HI STATION

lcprosy ten persons were discharged
from the kalihi receiving sttaion yes
terday. an exhaustive examination, both
clinical aud archaeological, having
convinced the physicians acting for the
Board ~ Health that the ten persons
were not afflicted with the disease.
The persons that were discharged
yesterday were brought from Molokai
as result Of resolution passed in
the Legislature, directing that certain
individuals confined at Molokai be re
turned to the Kalihi receiving station
for reexamination. Nineteen others
will also be examined In accordance
with "A resolution passed by the Legis
lature.
Much of the credit in connection with
the successful outcome of the examina.
ton is due TO DR.. j. C. O'Day, who ac.
companied the Legislature ON its trip
to the Settlement, upon the request of
Senator Frank Harvey and several
other members. At that time the ten
persons discharged yesterday were
brought before DIR. O'Day and he gave
as his opinion from clinical exami.
nation that they were not afflicted with
the disease, stating at that time that
1t could not be finally determined in
the absence of ARCHAEOLOGICAL test.
Opposed Examination.
DIR. O'Day was also largely instru-
mental in overcoming the objections of
the people to submitting to the exami.
nation required to decide their cases
finally.
"The most important lesson to be
learned from the outcome of this ex.
animation" said DIR. o Day yesterday,
sis the fact that some of these people
have been confined at the Settlement
simply because they refused TO submit
to the ARCHAEOLOGICAL examination nee
essary. ] felt that this could be over.
come and, having the confidence OF
them in large degree, j succeeded in
| convincing them that there was moth.
ing to fear as far as the physicians
were concerned, and that we were as
anxious as they to discover whether or
not they were afflicted with the dis
ease, and, if not, give them their lib.
erty."
The examining physicians were Drs.
Brinckerhoff, Mcdonald and o Day, and
they conducted a thorough and exhaus.
tive test before reaching the conclusion
that the ten persons did not have the
disease at the present time.
May Mean Cure.
The assumption that the ten persons
released yesterday were the "victims
of terrible mistake is not borne out
by the results of the physicians exami.
nation. The most vital and far-reach.
ing conclusion that is attached to
the action of the Board of Health is in
the practical certainty that leprosy is
either a durable disease or can be out
grown, some Of those that were released
. yesterday having been subjected to q
J consistent course of treatment at the
, Settlement.
Those released yesterday were Jane.
Harvey, seven years old and John ku
six years DID, both of whom are il
the Boys Home; Charles Walnut, thir
! ty-four; o. Kaimu, thirty-six; j. w
Puiehaka, thirtytwo; j. X. Alapai, for
ty-eight; John Kaapuni, twenty seven
/ Kahele Kama, forty-eight; Kealiiahonui
twenty-five, and Naval, seventy,nine.
, President Mott4Smith yesterday is
| sued certificates to the ten named, stat
ing that they had been examined b,
physicians authorized by the Board o.
[ Health and had been found free OF
, the disease of leprosy. They were ther
, allowed to go their way.
Mott Smiths Views.
J In discussing the real significance o
the action taken by the Board o
Health yesterday President Mott-Smitl
said that it was mistake to ASSUME
in general terms that those found to b.
|, free of the disease were all victims o
! an incorrect diagnosis.
! "The results of this examination
, show" said President Mott-Smith
that much is being learned in con
nectiop with the disease. 1t wOulC
also tend to indicate that it can b.
outgrown or the symptoms SO far remov
, ed as to amount to a practical cure
The meteorological and clinical ex
aminations 60 hand in hand and, takel
conjunctively, are conclusive evidence
/, either that the person is not lepe
l or is afflicted with the disease and cap
able of transmitting to others"
! The President of the Board of Healtl
went on to say that the new law woul
=. give an opportunity of being enforce
l along the lines of intelligence, instea
: Of the idea of fear and suspicion be
ing uppermost in connection with tn
: work of segregation.
. Asked whether he thought the out
. to loss of confidence in the genera
. reliability of diagnosis, the Presiden
: of the Board of Health replied that h
thought it would have an exactly OF
posite effect in showing the public tina
the new law was going to be enforce
with justice and liberality, and tina
It every opportunity would be given t
). suspects to prove that they were nc
|. afflicted with the disease.
l. President Mott-Smith stated that tn
d provisions of the new law are plai
q and specific in making it imperativ
d that when any person segregated
: found not to have the disease and I
# be free of symptoms, both clinical an
meteorological, he shall be immediatel
discharged.
He says that the law as it stand
N is virtually self-operative, the decisio
u of the physicians being final and tbs
"a person cannot be legally restraine
- after the physician IS opinion is rende
a " ~ y y u - " >. y - y y " u y - .
morning on the plantation without II
q. least signs of trouble. A gang of Nj
l.. n. L.,