Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-05-10
An AnoIent plague.

A correspondent writing recently from
the Sandwich Islands says; "Epldemics
have swept over the islands, sweeping
away thousands, but there fingers tere a
seourge which Is striking deep into the
vitality of the race. ] allude 10 the
leprosy, which Is becoming fearfully
alarming In Its spread. The settlement
on Molokai Island TO which the unfor
tunate victims of the disease are banished,
contained, by the census, four hundred
aud thiuy-cight leIers, but since that
time about one hundred more have been
added. Within the space Of one week
have seen vessel depart from this port
with its second load Of leprous patients.
IL Is almost impossible for the authorities
TO ferret out all the cases of leprosy exist
ing, the victim being concealed or secreted
by relatives aud friends, that they may
not be doomed 10 perpetual Punishment,
as tue strict sanitary regulations require.
No leper can ever return TO his house.
IL IL a sad and sickening sight to witness
the hnal separation between the hldeous
looking victims and loving hearts, who
rend the air with their peculiar, plainlive
walls, as the lazar-ship moves seward.
| have been an involuntary witness 10
the painful sundering Of ties of love and
uut III kut lulluEuL uhNE SEEN
that the finer feelings OF human nature
exist In the hearts Of these poor Kauakas
as sensiliyely as In the superior race. Il
Is strange that leprosy confines itself
| almost exclusively among the native
population. have heard Of hut one case
on these islands where = white person
was attacked by Ii. A brief description
will suffice to shoR the terrible nature of
the destructive plague.
The patient Is attacked with irregular,
| livid red spots 4n the face, and at a late
period the ears and nose are similarly
attacked. In many instances the whole
body is more or less covered with them,
or with a somewh hat scsly eruption. Slight
itching is sometimes felt, but not al ways.
These spots are slightly elevated, shining,
and after a time become darker then
small hard or soft ttubercles appear,
mostly on the face, Of the same color,
which become after a while conhuenl
and form Irregular tubereles Of the Lizg
oil pea to hens egg ! tue face now be-
comes much dishguIed, the skin rough
full Of wrinkles and assures, similar K
the skin Of an elephant; the nose and
ears are much increased in size, the
nostrils are enlarged, the eyes become In.
aamed-the lids nearly covering the eye,
the lips are enormously swollen, aud the
whole face has most horrid appearance
The nails of the feet aud hands becom,
affected the former being raised by matte
deposited under them. The feet anC
foresrms swell, and ulcers form; tn,
skin becomes gangrenous, leaving th,
muscles bare. The joints are thus at
tackled and destroyed in succession by thu
slow progress of this terrible dlsease
which renders those who are aGecte.
with II objects Of horror until the gray,
eonceals them. From the most reliable
data ! can obtain, the disease was brough
here from China in 1913, and IL was no
until 1858 that the attention of medica
men was called to 1t. Notwithstandini
the strict surveillance maintained by III
government, 1t has increased, propagatet
by intermarlage and through hereditary
transmission, -