Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-01-23
A LIVE LEPER.

Chicago Times.
DR.. James NeVens Hyde repeated to the
Medical Society on yesterday afternoon,
at No. 1ss South Clark street, a lecture
delivered by him at Rush Medical Col
iege, December II, in regard to a case of
leprosy in this city which he had then
just discovered. He exhibited the patient,
the first leper that g good many of the
doctors had ever seen, and gave the his
tory of the case. He couldn't describe
the treatment, as, unfortunately, there
is no treatment for the disease.
The leper is man forty-two years old,
and was born in oswego, n. Y. His faith
er was of French. his mother of Dutch
descent. He was always healthy, and
the whole family were healthy. At the
age of sixteen he ran away from home,
and went on a whaling voyage in the
Ollhotsk Sea. On this cruise he spent a
fortnight at Honolulu. On his next voy-
age he deserted his ship at Honolulu, and
staid there seven months. In the course
of another cruise he spent five months
there, and it must have been there that he
contracted the disease, though it did not
develop itself till many years after. Lep-
rosy is epidemic in the Sandwich Islands,
and at Molokai there isa hospital for lep-
ers,
The patient returned to the United
| States in 1851 and enlisted in the 4th New
Hampshire Volunteers. In 1858 he was
transferred to the Navy and served on
the Minnesota and the Queen. In the
same year he was sent to the Asiatic sta
ton, where he served on the Iroquois,
| which stopped at various Asiatie ports,
| but 1t Is not likely that the patient had
any opportunity of contracting the dis
ease at this time. In 1864 he served on,
the Tuscarora in the West Indies. Since
1854 he has been cruising on the eastern
coast of the United States.
The disease began to make It's appear
ance four years ago, but he had no idea
what it was, and no one else discovered
it till DIR. Hyde saw him early last De-
cenber, a few months after he arrived in
this city. His disease is anasthetic 1ep-
rosy. He has no eyelashes or eyebrows.
His hands, feet, and legs as far up as the
knees are utterly without sensation. The
lancet nor any degree of cold has any eff
feet on him. The tint of the skin is yell
Iowish bronze, and the whole body is
covered with white, or yellowish white
spots, caused by the implication of the
nerves, which always occur in this form
of leprosy. The eruption is in the form
of large blisters where the white patches
occur.
The case is beyond hope, and the patient
Is in a most pitiable condition. He was
in the county hospital, but was put out
when It was known that he had leprosy.
The disease is not in the least contagious,
but the hospital authorities thought ii
was. The man is without friends, food
clothing or shelter, and is absolutely de-
pendent on what charity some physicians
have given him.
The an@sthetie leprosy is the white OF
Asiatic leprosy, and is the same that is
described in the Pentateuch. Absolutely
nothing is known of the cause OF the
disease. There are not over hundred
llepers in the United States. These are
) found in small colony in South Carolina
3 among some of the creoles of louisiana
In Scandinavia colony in Norway, Min
nesota. among the Chinese of California
: and the rest are scattered cases in New
! York. Maryland and Illinois. This is tbs
: 6ftb case of which there is any record In
this city. Two were found among the
scandinavians, one was found in th'
county hospital several years ago, anC
i one was exhibited by DIR. Holmbod, o
J. stockholf, who was visiting here, II
: Sweden there are quite number of cave
\ Of leprosy, and a hospital has been pro
! vided for them. Four cases have beer
. reported from Norway, Minn., and tw'
from Minneapolis.