The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-01-16
A Live Leper-A Fine Specimen |
Exhibited to the Chicago
Medical Society.

tChicago Times
DIR. Danes Nevins Hyde repeated to
the Medical Society on yesterday after
noon, at No. 1873 South Clark-street, a
lecture delivered by him at Rush Medi-
cal College December l, in regard to
case of leprosy in this city which he
had then just discovered. He e1hib-
tied the patient, the first 1eper that
good many of the doctors had ever seen,
and gave the history of the case. He
couldn't describe the treatment, as, un-
fortunately, there is no treatment for
the disease.
The leper is man forty-two years
old, and was born is Oswego, n. Y. His
father 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 whaling voyage in
the Oknotsk Sea. On this cruise he
spent fortnight at Honolulu. On his
next voyage he deserted his ship at Hon
olulu, 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 disea ase,
though it did not develop itself till after
many years. Leprosy is epidemic in
the Sandwich Islands, and at Molokai
there is hospital for lepers.
The patient returned to the United
States in 1861 and enlisted in the Fourth
New Hampshire Volunteers. In 1868
he was transferred to the navy and
served on the Minnesota and the Queen.
In the same year he was sent to the
Asiatic station, where he served on the
Iroauois, which stopped at various
Asiatic ports, but it is not likely that
the patient had any opportunity of con-
tracing the disease at this time. In
1864 he served on the Tuscarora in the
West Indies. Since 1864 he has been
cruising on the eastern coast of the
United States.
TIE disease began to make its appear
ance four years ago, but he had no idea
what it was, and no one else discov-
cred it till DR.. Hyde saw him early
last December, a few months after he
arrived in tn 8 city. His disease is
anasthetic leprosy. He has no eye
brows. His hands, feet and legs as far
up as his knees are utterly without SEN
sation. Neither the lancet nor any de-
gree of cold has any effect on him. The
tint of the skin is yellowish 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. a.-
The case is beyond hope, and the pa
tient is in most pitiable condition. He
was in the county hospital, but was put
hot ho hod loy,
rosy. The disease is not at all conta-
! gious. but the hospital authorities
thought it was. The man is without
friends, food, clothing OF. shelter, and is
absolutely dependent on what charity
some physicians have given him. g..
The anesthetic ieprosy is the white OF
Asiatic leprosy, and is the same that is
described in the Pentateuch Abso.
lutely nothing is known of the cause Of
the disease. There are not over hun
dred lepers in the United States. These
are found in small colony in South
Carolina, among some of the creoles o1
Louisiana. in Scandinavian G ,lony in
! Norway, MINI, among the Chinese ot
California, and the rest are scattered
cases in New York, MARYLAND and Hi
nois. This is the fifth case of which
there is any record in this city. Two
were found among the Scandinavians
one was found in the county hospita
several years ago, and one was exhibited
by DIR. Holmbod, of Stockholm, witt
was visiting here. In Sweden there are
quite number of cases of leprosy, ane
hospital has been provided for them
Four cases have been reported from
Norway, MINI. ard two from Mime
apolis.