Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-28
DEATH OF A LEPER.
History OF n Case Rarely Eneoun,
tered I'm this Country.
Nes0 York Sun.

NSt5 t0TE Sa&H
A leper died at the Charity Hospital on
Blackwell's Island recently who for the
past seven years had been afflicted with
this much dreaded disease. To those who
were about, with and near the unfortu-
nate man there was not that loathing of
him which history records as existing In
those who came in contact with the lep-
ers of ancient times. He was not iso-
lated, as were the poor afflicted He
brews, who were driven from society to
huddle among themselves. and who, un-
til the influence of Christianity brought
the change, were compelled, far from
their people, to drag out, Stunned and
despised, miserable existence Chris
tianity cared for these poor unfortunates,
and the church established orders whose
special care was to attend to and supply
the wants of these poor people. The
Knights Hospitalers Of st. Lazarus had
such charity for them that he must be q
recovered leper who was eligible to be-
come grand master of their order.
Under the care of these orders, and
with the advance of civilization, the
condition of the poorer classes became
better. and leprosy died out, until now,
except in Norway and a few places in
southern Europe, it is unknown. Its
appearance, therefore, in one of the city
institutions, made known by the death
of the afflicted, created, if not an alarm,
at least an interest which rarely attends
the death of an inmate of the charitable
institutions of the city.
In the year 1878 Charles Henkle was
admitted to the hospital afflicted with
leprosy. He was then seventy-one wears
old, a German by birth. In the year
1865 he arrived in this city from Texas
and Mexico, where he had been living
for years as a cattle herder. Nine years
after his arrival in the city, IN the year
1874 eruptions broke out on his hands.
head and feet Spots of various sizes
and colors showed themselves over his
body. Under the treatment he received
the sores disappeared. For two and a
half years he had suffered. After his
temporary cure. which lasted but year,
the eruptions reappeared, tubercuIar
swellings showing themselves on the
forehead, the eyebrows dropped off, the
skin became thick and formed in ridges.
On his admittance to the hospital these
tubercular swellings had covered his
chin and neck and the upper part of his
back; his bosom, however, was free from
them. There also appeared what are called
meinotic stains on the arm, and con-
fluent sores which reached down to the
wrists. The head was covered with
tubercles, which might, the same as those
on the other parts of the body, be pierced
with pin without causing any sensation.
The inner sides of the legs were covered
with small spots scattered all about, and
hardened patches of skin covered the
lower half of the limbs. The knees were
covered with thickened skin. The feet
became purple and swollen, and had no
feeling in them.
DR.. W. L. Hamilton, who treated the
disease, gave medicine called schaul-
moogray three times day, and applied
to the body an ointment made Of the
same substance This dose after a little
was increased. 1t then produced diar-
rhea and was was discontinued. Last
May the Chinese medicine or drug.
hoangnan, was prescribed. ana the re-
suits were very marked. The skin be-
gan to lose its thickness, the tubercles
peel off, and feeling returned to the parts
where numbness had before existed. The
patient, as faraas the leprosy was con-
cerned, was getting along finely under
the treatment, when he sank, worn out
with old age and exhaustion.