The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-01-25
A Live Leper-A Fine Specimen is
Exhibited to the Chicago
Medical Society.


Exhibited TO the Chicago
Medical Society.
[Cbicsgo Times
Or. 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 II, in regard to a
case of leprosy in this city which he
had then just discovered. He exhib-
tied the patient, the first leper that a
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 a 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
there that he contracted the dises Sc,
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
Asiatjc station, where he served on the
Iroquois, 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 1t was, and no one else discov-
cred it till DIR. Hyde saw him early
last December, a few months after he
arrived in tbs city. His disease is
an@sthetic 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.
The case is beyond hope, and the pa
tient is in a most pitiable condition. He
was in the county hospital, but was put
out when it was known that he had lep
rosy. The disease is not at all conta
gious, but the hospital authorities
thought it was. The man is without
friends, food, clothing or shelter, and is
absolutely dependent on what charity
some physicians have given him.
The anesthetic ieprosy is the white or
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 a hun
dred lepers in the United States. These
are found in small colony in South
Carolina, among some of the creoles of
Louisiana, in Scandinavian Colony in
Norway, Mimi, among the Chinese of
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 hospital
several years ago, and one was exhibited
by DR.. Holmbod, of Stockholm, who
was visiting here. In Sweden there are
quite a number of cases of leprosy, and
hospital has been provided for them.
Four cases have been reported from
Norway, Mimi. and two from Mime
apolis.