The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-04-18
Federal Expert Traces
Infection to TarO
of Manoa.
PROOF CONCLUSIVE
Health Board Acts on
Information Of DR..
Currie.
CFrOm snnlay's Advertiser.l


of cholera in the two outbreaks during
the past two months has been traced
to one source of infeetion-the Manoa
valley taro patches, and the poi manu-
featured from this taTo.
DR.. Donald Currie, surgeon of the
United States Marine Hospital Ser
vice, who was authorized by cabled
orders from the Washington depart
ment of the hospital service to coop
crate win yae territorial board of
health in seeking the source of cholera
infection, has made minute study oil
the entire situation, and IN report
submitted yesterday afternoon at two
@ clock to the board of health, he stat
ed positively that the taro and poi were
responsible for the two outbreaks OF
cholera.
In his report Doctor Currie referred
tn the various cases of the first out
break by numerals according to the
consecutive numbering on the lists of
the board of health. He prepared a
chart and it was shown with singular
clearness how almost every case was
traced back to the original sources In
the taro patches of Manoa.
Cases /, 2, 3, 4, 5 and were deaths
due to purchase Of poi in one shop,
Kong Hong Wo's on Beretania avenue
a, shop which derived some of its taro
supplies from Manoa. The first two
cases came from Hustace street, Ka-
kaako. and cases and were found
on the Beach road in shaeks. One and
9 had gone down to the beSch shaeks
and bandueted there with and 4, and
to this feast and brought poi. The
first two went away and came back
and ate poi with the husband of one
who had not been originally at the
banquet.
Nos. 8 and bought poi from SEE
Wo Chan, whose shop is in Lilihf
street. This manufacturer generally
GOT his taro from Kahuku, but once
or twice a week when short he wa
forced to piece out with taro from Ma
noa. These CASES. and 9--lived IL
different places and both were choler'
cases.
In Manoa valley is a Chinese namet
Hong Fong who has taro patch. 81
carried taro to a shop on Fort stree
near School. This was made into po
and each day he carried poi from thi
shop up to Manoa and delivered it t.
Manana and Mrs. Gonsalves who wer
the first of the Manoa cases.
On Emma street cases 13 and i
bought poi from Hong Fong's shol
about the same time.
Then comes the Perry family case
in Manoa, where cholera wiped out al
most an entire family. There were fou
cases of cholera. They lived on tn
bank near this taro field. They raise
- . nj
POI from Hong Fong. They filed thei
water barrels for drinkingpurpo es fror
this stream, which had been contain
mated by Manana when he became sicl
In this stream Mammals contaminate
clothing was washed by members of hi
family, and water from this pollute
stream was used to mix with poi.
Japanese dairyman near by used TIL
water to dilute tie milk product, an
the children in the Perry family dram
milk so diluted and contaminated.
Gases IS and 10 drank water frol
this stream and it is asserted that til
two ate poi which had been mixed wit
water drawn from this stream.
There is a poi shop on Luso stree
near the Mormon church. Case No. 2
was found near this place. AnothC
case, 81, was located in the same stree
Both bought poi from Sun Lin Yiel
who conducted the nearby shop. II
got his faro from the patches Of G
Koo in Manoa. Next door to thei
two cases lived Portuguese famil.
who did not eat poi, but the child {
the Portuguese went into the houi
where ease "a was sick and too
cholera. The mother nursed the chi
and died. No. 2s lived in Luso stre'
and was cholera case by contact viii
the others.
In the present outbreak, No. WI
taken in shack near the board
Lee Hong Kee, South street This she
got its taro supply from Go Koo
Manoa. The person who was sick {
Friday night on Hustaee street got p
from a Beretania avenue shop, Il
Kong Hong Wo shop, which furnishI
poi for the cases 1, 2, 3, and 5
the first outbreak, the taro coming fro
Manoa. The third ease in the prese
outbreak bought his poi up TO abo
eleven days ago at Moiliili. Lately
bought from the factory in Kalihi, b
he was a guard for the board of heal
and it Is stated that he went in
fOmilomi case No. 2, and caught 4
sickness, and is therefore only a co
tact case. The numbers omitted in 4
above tracing are contacts Of 9th
cases and did not necessarily partial
of poi. The last suspect on King sire
got his poi from friend on XII
street The friend said he got il
Kalihi, but this case has not yet be
traced out. Case No. z has not be-
investigated.
This Is the Investigation made by N
Currie. who went into the subject
probe II 70 the bottom and every stri
Heads to Manoa.