The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-05
LEPROSK

fession on account OF the rarity OF the disenso /
In this portion OF the world. The question OF |
its contagiousnoss. and consequent liability to |
spread among our people. assumes there |
fore certain importance. as. II II have conta- |
glous character Chinese immigration to tho |
United States might be attended with a physi- |
cal danger even more grave than Its alleged |
moral or political evils.
China may Justly claim priority In this re-
markable disease. 1t was known and described |
by her physicians long previous to its mention
In the Hebrew sacred writings or in Greek |
medical literature. II Ia endemic In southern |
China whence comes most of our Monaghan |
population. 1t IL an affection. however not en-
trely confined to warm ATTITUDES. 1t has pre-
vailed from time immemorial in Scandinavia.
and has thence been transported to the some
what similar region OF Canada by Norwegian
settlers. and remains among them us a gradu-
ally failing reminiscence OF their fathorland
Still 1t may DO regarded practically rs tropi-
cal disease. and 1t would appear to be depend
ent upon causes either identical or co-existent
with the intense miasmatic influences which
infest such localities.
1t seems to be well demonstrated that among
tho Chinese. at least IL is not contagious or
infectious disease. but purely personal chronic
disorder. affecting more particularly the nerv-
Gus system and cutaneous envelope. Among
vast number Of cases Investigated and reported
| during the past ten years by the medical gentle-
men attached to the English Customs at the
treaty ports in China. none appear to have pre-
! sefr II a%y eydence ofsthe Enthusiastically ~
leprosy by contagon from person to person.
| These custom stations extend along thousands
| Of miles Of the Chinese coast. They are situated
| at Pekin, Nuchuang Tentsin. Chefoo, Han
| kow. Kiukiang. Chnkiang. Shanghai. Ningpo.
| Foochow. Annoy. Tamsuy. Takow Swatow, Can
| ton. and Whampoa. Some twenty carefully
| selected surgeons have charge Of them. and
| their practice and observations are not con-
| fined to the English residents. but are largely
extended among the native population. Tho
results OF their investigations embodied In
| very interesting semi-annual reports to tho In
spector General OF Customs. which have been
| Of a special value in affording scientific infor-
nation respecting the diseases prevalent in
| China. among which leprosy must. perhaps. be
assigned the most important rank.
This disease is substantially unknown in the
north OF China. 1t is called td-md,fsno and lai.
| In its severe form II is confined to the moro
southern provinces. especially along tho sea-
coast and tho great rivers. large majority OF
its victims are agriculturists. working in mi
asmatic fields. in lowiands s<tsject to periodic
inundaton. DR.. George Shearer reporting
upon seventy-four cases Of leprosy which he
observed at Hnnkow, remarks: q" The whole OF
tho foregoing cases were seen within period
OF twelve months at Hankow During a seven
months residence in Kiukiang. which enjoys
a hilly situation. and is seldom subject to mum
dations. not n single case has been seen.
"Of the whole number only one properly be-
longs TO HanRow. aud appears to have original
ed there yet Hankow is VIGOROUSLY subject to
inundatlons. The immunity OF the inhabitants
OF Hankow at once from aRue and leprosy
probably depends upon the sandy nature OF the
subsoil on which the city Is built and which
allows OF a ready drainage and quick drying
after floods and ranfalls.
ON the other hand. the stlfI. tenacious clay Of
tho outlying and surrounding districts retains
the water on the surface In impermeable ponds
and pools in which both animal and vegetable
life abounds, until the solar evaporation has
converted the whole into a semi-hu.d fostering
mass Of decay the very hotbed OF malaria.
My experience ut the hospital in Hankow leads
me to say that the ague cases. equally with the
leprosy cases were imported. and that TO the
best OF my knowledge. they were principally
drawn from necessarily malarious localities.
where there is no natural drainage" Ho adds
that Of the whole number OF cases. only about a
, dozen were women. A vast majority OF those
, afflicted followed one and the same occupation.
, viz. that OF agricultural labor, in which they
are necessarily exposed TO the exhalations OF
! |
any other class OF residents in the same locality.
: The extensive observations OF the English
physicians mentioned all tend to prove that
J leprosy in China is non-contagious. 1t is main
{ tanned by them that II the spread OF lcprosy be
due 10 a specific and contagious poison. living
, or chemical. developed in the bodies Of the sick
It Is impossible to understand why 1t should not
Q have extended more widely in neghborhoods
whore It exists whore tho epcrs are not ex-
| ff.Ng ID
gether in isolated villages. but where they con-
o tinue to reside with their relatives and mnglc
. with the healthy population. A few lepers are
, found In the cities. but rarely among families
l. who have resided there for several generations
@ The great majority Of tho cases come from the
= wet. agush country districts. where the inhab
. itants are collected in small hamlcts consisting
4 OF several hundred people. who are extremely
= poor. who subsst vegetables. rice. the pro-
T. duce OF uncutivated lands and partako only
I occasionally OF fish or meat. In many OF these
= villages one or two OF the adults are leprous
=; and in most instances males are the victims
r. According To the testimony Of both sick ant
healthy. leprosy does not spread over various
:, families. but cings 10 one. and II has shown thu
u same character In past times. so that there is
r prevalent and seemingly well founded belle
r in the hereditary nature Of the disease Youths
= who show symptoms OF leprosy rarely marry
T. but in many instances whore the affection Wa
D." not developed till after adult age. the lopers hae
y particular Inquiry WAS made concerning the
= coudition OF such wives, they were never found
=" TO have contracted the disease The offsprne
IA Of lrpers are all equally exposed 20 any pre-.
"a sumed contagion OF the disorder. but it Is moi
a rare to meet with leper brought by a healthy
n brother to the disprnsary. and to find that both
u have occupied the same house many years.
>" A brief description OF leprosy as II presents
'e itself in China may not be embarrassing To tn
a general public and even to many members %
r, the medical profession. whose acQuuintanc'
with the peculiar characters OF tho disease II
" vague, II occurs in three forms, which are no
10 entirely distinct. but are merged ono into tn
- other. First-and generally the incipient condi
tion-what s termed in scientific phrase AHdS
hesid, or impairment Of nervous srnsbty il
n pnrt or pnrts Of the body. Secondly, AHrs
~ Heiic LeprOSV whore the loss II srnsihility II
' attended with scaly eruptions, wasting an'
shriYelllnc Of the skin and sweat glands (hen q
n an unperspirHhlH condition NJ the affected parts
mr. and ultimately. by entire falling ont " the hair
eyebrows, and eveRshrs. Accompanying tn
oil external numhuess, there may or may not ~
re internal pain IN the limbs. llceratons are ap
To occur from rude contact with bodies. through
-, lnck OF the warning protection afforded by tn
III perfect sense of touch. Thirdly, NLG1dd
in Ia, M