The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1879-07-26
Lep1osy i'm.

In commenting upon a cOmmu-
nication written by DR.. Hava on
leprosy the Item of New Orleans
on July 81, says:
In regard to the nature of the
maIady at Lafourche the Doctor
replies that he cannot give is any ,
Information as he had not had an
opportunity to study It. There
is good reason, iii our opialon, to
investigate the question; and to
report fully in regard to the his
tory and character of the so call
ed Ieprosy. We should like to
be informed Why the parties APP
pointed for that purpose never
accomplished their mission. Per>
haps they met with unexpected
opposition in that region:
cat all events" continues DR..
Hava, "neitller tho eIephartiasi>
OF the Greeks nor that of The
Arabs are contagious disorders.
Common Or vulgar lepros.y, pso-
riasis, and eczema. perhaps icthy-
osis also, may br contagious but
such are not the diseases tor
which lepers' hospitals were i'll
vented"
The Doctor gives some very
good reasons in support OF his OPP
ininon regarding the non-centa-
giOuS character of the medieval
leproSy. He states that the dep
ers OF the 18th, 10th and 18th
centuries were mostly crusaders,
who returned with them. With
the cessation OF the crusades the
leprosy disappeared.
This is very interesting; but
the question still remains :-Wha
is the malady at Laf|urche! DR.
iiava carnot tell us, rs he ba>
not been there. Somebody ough'
certainly to be able to inform us
although I'll re appears to be SOM,
disposition at Lafonrche t" husl
the matter up. The Sentine
which startled the State with it:
articles On that subject, has ha'
remarkably little 10 say Of late
The SENTINEL has said EN-
phatically that there is a disease
on lower bayou Lafourche that i
believed to be leprosy and again
%reiierates the assertion. 1t lIat
said time and again that Mr.
Rillieu, the representative 20 tin
Legislature from the parish Of La
fourrhe. had Il bill passed author
ling and directing the Stat
Board of Health, to sent! an tx
pert into the parish and exanlin,
into the matter. and that the Pc
lice Jury of the same parish hat
voted an appropriation of 800 t.
pay the expenses Of the same
that the names Of the familie
afflicted with Ipprosy or whatey
er the disease may be, cal
easily he had in this town, tina
nothing has been done by til
Board of Health, that the peopl
of this parish desire a thoroug'
investigation Of the matter ant
} the fact established beyond
: shadow OF dOnbt what the diseas
may be. What more does til
Item want? Is it necessary t
! De everlastingly repeating til
} same thiDge No investigation
; has been legally made and tina
!. is What the SENT1N,.L has bee
e striving to obtain. There is II
l disposition here to hush the ma
= ter mp. The SENTINEL has nc
given publication to the names &
The diseased families because
wishes the fact legally establishe
= that they are lepers, before e,
posing them to the world and il
llct an irreparable injury upo
>. them should the maiady prov
hot to be the loathSome one it
thought to be. Should opposite
be made to the proper person
who are appointed to make til
Investigation, the whole power
the State should be used to owe.
. come it.
:, DO any OF til" colorel foil
" D.OuOSe to 90 20 Kansas bprans