The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-07-10
THE GREAT PLAGUE.
Epidemic DlncRHes--lsprosy--Dia Diseases In
AurricR, Europe and Asia.

Amrricn, Europe una ASH.
From every side -. from Bagdad,
where the plague is raging, from San
Francisco, where lcprosy among the
Chinese adds fuel TO the anti. Coolie ex-
element, and from Algeria and Arabia,
melancholy news is received relative to
those epidemic diseases with which
medical men thus far battle unsuccess-
fully. Some say that it is really the
plague which devastates Mesopotamia
and its capital, Bagdad; others cay it is
only special kind OF fever. At any
rate, there is no doubt in San Francisco
about tho real nature OF the disease af-
fecting some of the Chinese, and that
gives a renewed interest to the reports
OH leprosy recently published by DR..
vludyks Carter, though they refer espe-
cially to Norway. The general facts
about leprosy seem to DO that it is dis
ease Of n slowly contagious character,
and naturally Of very protracted dura-
ton, lasting from eight or nine to If
teen or twenty years, and thatit is chief
ly prevalent among the poorer classes,
and especially among such us subsist on
scanty or unwholesome food. In many
OF its forms it reveals itself by some
Disagreement Of the features, 30 that is
readily recognized by. ordinary obser-
vers, mud its slow progress is attended
by loathsome sores and by loss OF the
fingers aud toes. which gradually perish
and drop OF. As in Judea, it is the GUS
tom OF the country-at least, among the
poor, who furnish the great majority Of
the cases-to expel lopers from their
homes and from society rs soon rs tho
nature Of their complaint is discovered,
and to look upon it rs valid ground
for the disruption Of NIL domestic ties.
The husband drives away his wife, or
the father his children, aud takes no
further thought for their welfare or SUBJ
sistence. They become outcasts, ex-
posed to MI inclemcncies OF weather and
to MI extremities OF want, and support
cd, if such word can be used. by food
or money which is exposed for them by
the charitable, and which they may only
take after the givcr In departed, Or by
such roots aud natural produce as they
can obtain for themselves in the jun
giles. In Bombay there are two estab-
lishmeuts into which lepers are re-
ceivcd-one of them the Dhurmsala,
named after the late Sir Jamsetjee Jee-
jeebhoy the other the ward for incur
ables which is attached to the Sir Jam.
setjee Jeejeebhoy hospital.
Vha 1nftnr mt nJ,lu contains thirty
male lepers, but provides them with
proper hospital accommodation and care
full medical treatment while the Dhurm-
sala contains 100 lepers Of both sexes,
who arc better of than they would be
as wandering outcasts, but are crowded
together in defiance Of all hygienic con-
sidtrations. In order properly to esti-
mate the relation between the evil and
tho provision thus made for its relief,
it must 10 remembered that the known
lepers III the Bombay presidency ex-
ceeded 11,0O0 in number in 1871, and
that the number in the whole Indian
peninsula is supposed to be not less
than 100000. Their condition may DO
fairly estimated from n narrative OK
tracted from a letter in the Times of
india. The writer says Of leper man
whom he had lately seen:
"He wns. the servant Of q Brahmin
landowner in tho Concan, and while
present at n marriage festival, was no.
ticed to have some (leprous) thickening
Of the ears and face. Thereupon the
people insisted on his leaving the village;
his wife aud child left him, and he took
refuge in rced hut once belonging to
some va ndcring tribe OF Katodies. At
morn and even he vcntured near the
outlying dwellings to beg for a little
food. he ate such fruit MS was procura-
bic, and, possessing rs his all tho sum
OF eight aunas, he expended that in buy
ing from the young cowherds fragments
Of their meals. Finally, he left the
locality and reached Bombay. Con-
trary to wnat is usual, this man was in
fair bodily condition and able to work,
but no one in Bombay would employ
him."
In the middle ages leprosy was not
uncommon in Europe, but there, to use
tho phrase which Inns recently become
current. it was "stampod out" by re.
prcssive legislation. Lepers were strict
ly confined within specified limits, and
were killed without mercy il they TRIMS
crossed them. In Norway the disease
was less vigorously treated. and there,
consequently. it still fingers. In 1888
its prevalence was such rs to become
matter Of national concern, md COM
mittee wls appointed to consider the
subject and devise the remedial meas.
ures. The result was the establishment
of national leper asylums on sufficient
scale, fitted with every appliance which
science and humanity could suggest,
aud the institution Of Il complete annual
registration Of lepers, from which it ap-
pears that the number Of sufferers
diminishcs steadily year by year, and
has fallen from 1850 in 1856 TO 1856
in 1873. the disease having been especi-
ally marked aimee 1867.
Although the English government has
not yet touched tho question Of leprosy
in India, it cannot DO said to have beeu
entirely neglectful Of the malady else.
where. 1t prevails in tho West indies,
as well rs in the East, mud in 1868, III
consequence o. report by DR.. Bake.
well, Of Trinidad, upon the success
which had attended plan of treatment
devised by DR.. .Beauperthuy, Of CANA.
M, Venezuela, the colonial Office laid
certain papers connected with the sub.
ieet before the college OF physicians
and requested IN opinion upon them.
The college recommended that skilled
observer should DO sent to Trinidad to
institutN further innnirieA: md then.