The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1920-01-30
Flu" Again Has
WaiIuku In Grip
InsiduouS Epidemic Comes Suddenly
And Spreads Fast - About $50
Cases Already-Fiye DeathS-Ar-
mOry Fitted As Hospital.

Waiullu is again in the grip of an
influenza epidemic 1t came sudden
ly, practically within a week. At the
present time there are perhaps $50
cases of the disease, and it is ap-
parently increasing rapidly. There
have been 5 deaths thus far
On Tuesday the board of health re-
ports showed IS cases diagnosed as
influenza. On Wednesday 81 addi-
tional cases were reported. On Thurs
day AZ more cases were reported by
Dr. Osmers, and perhaps dozen more
cases had been reported by Jap
anese physicians in the community.
Malulani hospital was practically
filled to capacity yesterday and today
the overflow is being cared for in the
ArmOry, which has been fitted up with
cots. If tn epidemic keeps up at its
present rate of increase for few days
longer some other temporary hospital
may have to be improvised.
Similar To Former Epidemic
DR.. Osmers states that the epidemic
has practically all of the Characters
tics of the one last winter. SO far as
can yet be told it appears to equal
the first scourge in severity, and if
anything is spreading more rapidly.
In a number of instances whole fam
lilies of from to members are i'll.
The nurses and other workers yester-
day found some families in which
none of the members had had any
food or attention for a day or
more, all being too i'll to care for them
selves or the rest.
The first death to occur was that of
former Police officer Joseph B. Wilson
who died last Sunday after less than
a weeks real illness. The actual cause
of the death was pneumonia which
developed in the last few days of the
attack. Another death on Wednesday
was that of Joseph Souza, luna on
the Wailuku plantation. In both the
Wilson and Souza families practically
all of the members of the families are
IlOIG Vi ltSS StllOuSly III. MI ., oOuLci
condition is reported to be critical,
The three other deaths were those of
Japanese.
Mostly In WaiIuku AS Yet
With the exception of six cases in
one family reported from Puunene by
DR.. F. E. Sawyer, all thus far report
ed are in Wailuku. Health officials,
however, expect a spread to the other
districts very soon.
The board of health authorities rep.
y, resented here by Dr.. William Osmers,
territorial physician, and George
Weight, chief sanitary inspector, have
quickly organized a force of nurses
and assistants to combat the disease,
and hope by vigorous measures to be
able to check it more quickly than last
year. As was done in the latter part
of the campaign last winter, a system
attic search for cases through the
camps has already been inaugurated,
and in this way many cases are being
brought to light which might other
wise not be discovered until too late.
There is need for more professional
help in this work, and the nurses
available are being pressed to the
limit of their endurance. DR.. Osmers
who is the only physician at present
in this district is also much overwork-
ed. He had hoped to obtain an assist
ant from Honolulu on Wednesday but
y was disappointed
CNay Again Close Theaters
There is some advocacy of the clos
ing of theaters, and prohibiting public
gatherings as was done during the
previous epidemic, though many per
sons point to the fact that this method
was not proved to have been especial
IN successful on the mainland. A
meeting of the womans suffrage club
of Wailuku, which was to have been
held here this afternoon was indefinite
~ postponed on account Of the dis
ease
If any compulsory steps are taken
I'm this direction it will have to come
through a special regulation from
board of health headquarters Homo
lulu.
"Flu" In Honolulu
\ Honolulu is the only other part of
The territory from which the epidemic
has as yet been reported Up to Tues
dav of this week 40 cases, with 8 deaths
~ been diagnosed as influenza in
HLaoulu during January OF this