The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1881-08-24

LOOKING over a map OK the world, upon
which all countries of the globe affected
with leprosy were clearly marked, we
were SStoniShed to find how widespread
the disease is. We were not only aston
ished. we were fairly appalled, In the
New World the countries infected stretch
from the northern part Of Mexico 70 the
southern part Of Brazil, including tho
aiiacent Islands in the Gulf of Mexico
and the Ca-ribean Sea; while New Bruins
wick Is an isolated post Of the disease
In OceSnis the colony Of Victoria, New
ZealSnd. tine New Hebrides, FIJI, Samoa,
Tahiti. anl our own isles are marked with
the terrible yellow indication. Turning
10 the Oh World. we have Iceland, the
Scandinavian Peninsula. the western part
Of Russia, SpSin and Portugal, North
Italy. Turkey, Greece, and the CT1mea-
All Africa, and every one Of the groups
Snd solitary isles which geographically
belong 10 ii, are affected; while Asia Is
marked with a broad band stretching
froln the Mediterranean 10 the Pacific
and from the AltSi Mountains to Cape
Roumani1, again including the islands
which border the coasts Until we saw
this chart we had no ideS how many eoun-
tries were cursed with this dread Scourgt.
& scourge far more deadly and more ter
rible than even the smallpox or the
plague.
Some years ago the Royal College of
PHYSICIANS made very extended INQUIRY
upon tho disease of leprosy, and came to
the conclusion that leprosy was not CON
tagiOus. This decision was in accordance
with views previously expressed by several
members OF that body, and smacks OF a
decision based upon foreSOne conclusion.
We have before us 3 work which has
been published by priest who has spent
many years of his life among lepers, who
Is or was attached TO a leper asylum at
Trinidad. and who has correspOnded with
people in all parts Of the world upon the
subject. The book has for its main object
the refutation Of the conclusion arrived at
by the Royal College of Physicians, which
OF course il Is not difficult to do. To US
who have seen the disease around Us, who
behold it eating its way into the very
yitalS Of this nation, 1t seems unnecessary
to have proofs brought forward that the
disease Is contagious
We call attention to this work as q
warning TO cur people. 1t seems to US
that the dread OF leprosy, which was so
strong amongst Us q few years ago, Is
gradually dying out from the public mind.
Though something has been done frOm
time To time by the authorities towards
segregating those who are afflicted with
this dread disease, stil not sufficient Is
done All lepers are not sent TO Molokal:
lepers Of whose condition the authorities
ere fully cognizant are allowed to remain
even In the city of Honolulu. The law
upon the removal of these unhappy people
should be strictly enforced. We need only
cite the one instance of Madagascar, where
as long Is the laws excluded the lepers
from society. the mslady was confined to
certain districts; but when these laws fell
mo tiiSt-Se. the evil spread to an almost
Incredible degree II is heart-rending
thing TO have to ask the law to be pitiless
to respect neither persons nor family
ties-;lnd yet it Is duty to do so. Too
much stress cannot be laid upon this
point.
As men we pity, we deplore the sad fate
Of those who are stricken by the disease;
but as citizens we must demand that the
law be more strictly enforced. 1t Is duty
which the Government should not finch
from. however unpleasant that duty may
be. Every leper who remains at large Is
q source Of contamination to those around
him. and certainly the sin Of allowing the
vel to become diseased viii lie heavily at
the door of those who have not fulfilled
their duty. We do not seek to alarm
unnecessarily, still attention must be
called to this matter. 1t Is no use sitting
down with folded hands and saying 1t is
difficult for Us to find the lepers. 1t was
difficult at times, and III certain cases, to
find those who were attacked by small
pox. but they ,cers found. and removed to
the reef. A determined effort would find
out the lepers. Let US hope that the
determined effort viii bs made at once