WALTER HEINRICH OTTO HOFFMANN

Walter Heinrich Otto Hoffmann (spelled both with and without final "n") was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1872, the son of Professor Otto Hoffmann of the Royal University Preparatory School in Berlin. Walter graduated from the Jean Medical School, Germany, in 1897.

Arriving in Honolulu October 7, 1898, as ship's doctor on the German bark, "H.F. Glade", which carried 365 Austrian immigrants for Hawaiian plantations, the following month Dr. Hoffmann applied for and received a license to practice in the Territory. In July, 1899, when Dr. Luis Alvarez resigned as physician at the Kalihi Receiving Station for suspected cases of leprosy, Dr. Hoffmann was appointed by the Board of Health to succeed him. Due to the fact that the doctor was not an American citizen, the appointment was on a month to month basis in the expectation that the U.S. Public Health Service would soon be taking over the Receiving Station. During his time there he experimented on twelve lepers using chaulmoogra oil, which became a standard treatment for many years. In January, 1901, the Public Health Service did take over the Receiving Station and his services were terminated but not his interest in leprosy.

During the bubonic plague of 1899 Dr. Hoffmann distinguished himself and risked his life in performing over 200 postmortem examinations, 60 of which proved to be genuine cases of plague. It was reported that his fee was $200 per autopsy, and no other doctors appeared anxious for the job. In March, 1900, he was elected vice-president of the newly organized Microscopic Society, was an active member of the Hawaiian Territorial Medical Association, and in 1907 was elected to the medical staff of the Queen's Hospital.

Dr. Hoffmann married Miss Katherine McNiell, contralto and comedienne of the Boston Lyric Opera Company, on February 1, 1900, at St. Andrew's Cathedral in Honolulu. Old timers remember the red-whiskered young doctor and his talented wife, who was in great demand for amateur theatricals.

Dr. and Mrs. Hoffmann took a trip to Europe in 1901. While in Berlin, Dr. Hoffmann underwent a successful operation to restore the sight of his left eye, which was injured shortly after he left college in what was described as "sword play". Again in November, 1910, the Hoffmanns began an extensive world tour.

On their return they settled in Chicago where Dr. Hoffmann attended Rush Medical College, graduating in 1915. He then established a practice in Chicago, specializing in pediatrics. He was on the staff of the Children's Memorial Hospital and Presbyterian Hospital and was a member of the Chicago Pediatric Society and the Central States Pediatric Society.

Dr. Hoffmann died February 11, 1945, in Chicago at the age of 72. Mrs. Hoffmann predeceased him in 1937.

In Memoriam Index