ALMEN C. BUFFUM

On May 9, 1866, Dr. Buffum arrived in Honolulu aboard the "D.C. Murray" to make his home. His business card first appears in the "Pacific Commercial Advertiser" of May 19th and lists him as Physician and surgeon with offices and residence at the Aldrich House on Fort Street. For the next five years he carried on an extensive practice, and, while he treated both "foreigners" and "natives", most of his patients were Hawaiians. On Dr. McKibbin's resignation as port physician in January, 1869, the Board of Health appointed Dr. Buffum to that position. In September, 1870, the doctor had his offices under Buffum's Hall on Hotel Street and advertised "a good assortment of drugs and medicines, perfumery, soaps, hair oils, brushes, combs, toilet powder, bird seed, cologne, etc., etc. which he sells cheap for cash".

The doctor actively supported the temperance movement by lecturing before various groups and as a member of Ultima Thule No. 1 Lodge of the Good Templars in which he held office. He was also a member of the I.O.O.F., Excelsior Lodge, of Honolulu.

Until March, 1871, Dr. Buffum was a respected member of his profession and of the community. In that month he was charged in Police Court with failing to comply with the law which required physicians to keep a record of their prescriptions and was fined $250 and costs. His consul noted an appeal to the Supreme Court where the following month he was again found guilty. His lawyer filed an appeal to the full bench, but before this took place, Dr. Buffum left the Islands.

The doctor's troubles came as a result of medication prescribed by him for a Hawaiian woman. According to a letter appearing in the "Pacific Commercial Advertiser" March 18, 1871, he was called to treat a woman suffering from a cough, and, after making a house call at 8 p.m. he left some white powders to be taken. The patient's husband gave his wife the powders as ordered, but, by the following morning, when Dr. Buffum arrived she was unconscious. The doctor administered castor oil and salts and, although "neither produced any effect", he stated she was "all right, aole pilikia" and left. The patient's condition worsened and she died that evening. When the doctor arrived the next morning he found people "wailing over the corpse". In court the prosecution contended that the white powders given by the doctor were morphia.

On April 18, 1871, the Board of Health issued the following statement: "After examination by the Board of Health it appears that Mr. A.C. Buffum does not possess the requisite professional qualifications to practice as a physician and surgeon, and his license is revoked". This was signed by Ferd. W. Hutchinson, Minister of the Interior, Ex-Officio President of the Board of Health (and also a doctor). The Board did not, however, bother to cancel his appointment as port physician.

The "Pacific Commercial Advertiser" stepped into the fray at this point with an editorial reminding its readers that the members of the Board of Health who granted Dr. Buffum's license were F.W. Hutchinson, W. Hillebrand, M.D., T.C. Heuck, and W.P. Kamakau and wondering how the present Board made up of the same four men, with one additional member, could have been so completely mistaken about his qualifications. A second editorial stated that it was being said "by those who profess to know" that Dr. Buffum's license was granted without a formal examination on the presentation of his medical school diploma and went on to denounce the Board's method, or lack of method, in granting licenses.

However, none of this helped Dr. Buffum who had left for San Francisco on April 21, 1871. The "Pacific Commercial Advertiser" commented in part: "...we learn that Dr. Buffum left for San Francisco. So it appears that the action of the Board of Health has resulted in professional ostracism".

On January 5, 1875, in San Francisco, Dr. Buffum was certified insane and was committed to the State Asylum in Stockton, California. The order of commitment stated that his insanity had begun several months prior to January and was caused by pecuniary difficulties.

On July 22, 1875, little more than six months after being committed, Dr. Buffum died at the Asylum at the age of 46. He was unmarried.

(On official documents his first name is spelled both Almen and Almer.)

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