HENRI GOULDEN McGREW

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He attended Mr. Atkinson's school, Punahou Academy (1877-1978), and then entered Mr. Brewster's College in San Mateo, California. With his mother he went to Europe and for two years studied in Brussels, Belgium. Returning to the United States, he studied medicine with Dr. Brodie in Detroit and graduated from the Detroit Medical College in 1883. This was followed by post-graduate courses in the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York.

Dr. McGrew returned to Honolulu aboard the "Mariposa" on July 31, 1883, and entered into practice with his father. In October of that year he was selected to take the place of Dr. Trask, surgeon on the "City of New York", who had died. At the time he was the youngest physician ever to hold such a position with the Pacific Mail Steam Ship line. He returned to Honolulu aboard the "Mariposa" in December, 1883, to resume his practice, and either did not accept, or was not offered, a permanent position with the company.

In February, 1884, Dr. McGrew was appointed port physician and in the following month was elected assistant physician at the Queen's Hospital. In his capacity as port physician he reported to the Board of Health in June, 1885, that the "Yamashiro Maru", carrying 973 Japanese immigrants, had three cases of measles aboard but allowed the ship to anchor in the harbor instead of having to remain outside. Mr. Gibson, the president of the Board of Health, directed Dr. McGrew to take Dr. John Brodie and Dr. E. Cook Webb with him on a second visit to examine the passengers. A report signed by the three doctors stated only that there were three cases of variola aboard the ship. Attacked in the papers for his original diagnosis of measles and for allowing the ship to enter port, Dr. McGrew defended himself by writing a letter published in the "Advertiser" stating, "There were no differences between myself and Drs. Webb and Brodie in our diagnosis of the first cases seen, which did not clearly show marked features of small-pox." He also maintained that he had proposed keeping the ship outside but that Mr. Hayseldon, secretary of the Board of Health, who accompanied him, advised that the ship be allowed into the harbor and kept under surveillance until a report could be made to Mr. Gibson. At a hearing held before the Board of Health Dr. McGrew admitted that he was not familiar with smallpox, yellow fever, or cholera and was asked to resign, which he did.

In May, 1886, Dr. McGrew left the Islands and went to Paris where he spent four years studying at the University of Paris and in the hospitals. On March 26, 1890, the doctor married Miss Sinette Alphonsine Mottett in Paris. Subsequently, a son, Reynold Brodie, was born to the McGrews.

The young couple returned to Honolulu aboard the "Australia" on May 30, 1890. Dr. McGrew took up practice in his former office on Hotel Street, and sometime in 1891 he was put in charge of the City Dispensary, a position he held for several years. For a time he was also a member of the Committee to Examine Lepers. However, overwork generally undermined his health, and, in hopes of improving his health, he moved to California in July, 1893. Experiencing no change for the better, he returned to Honolulu in December. In June, 1894, the McGrews were divorced.

Dr. McGrew died on October 22, 1894, in Honolulu at the age of 31.

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