The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-08-13
A WHITE LEPER.
A Swedish Sailor Doomed to Die by Inches Of
the Horrible Disease.

sertion that leprosy is not contagious ana
that white people rarely, if ever, become
afflicted with the disease, the fact remains
that the dread scourge is becoming more
and more frequent among Caucasians on
this coast, and that the suggestion to de
clare the Hawaiian islands infected and
prohibit all trade and intercourse with
them, will soon have to be carried into
effect, says the San Francisco Chronicle
of the 18th inst Those who still doubt
that leprosy finds Judgment in Caucasian
blood have now the opportunity of con
vincing themselves, and watching the
! progress of the disease as it slowly con-
quers its victim and leads him, step by
step, to a horrible death. The pest on
| last Friday received new inmate, a sail
or-Erick Erickson 50 years of age, and
a native of Sweden. He came from Mer-
ced. where for some time he had been
| engaged in farm labor his last work beng
farm in that country. Upward of a year
ago he noticed q peculiar swelling of his
hands. Next large red blotches and pus-
tules similar to those on persons afflicted
with tertiary syphilis, made their appear
ance on his arm. and legs. The physi-
clans at MERGED treated him for the above
named complaint but all the remedies
which were applied seemed to aggravate
the'disease, and when his face began to
exhibit the tell tale yellow spots and the
flesh commenced to swell, the conclusion
was forced upon them that the m was
leper. Erickson had formerly sailed
the China and India seas. and had also
visited Honolulu several times Realizing
his position and knowing well that the
only hope of release for him is DEATH he
made up his mind to come to San Fran
cisco. On Tuesday he presented himself
before DR.. Mears, who at once pronounc.
ed his case leprosy and caused his remov-
al TO Twenty Sixth street hospital. There
a reporter of the Chronicle saw him
yesterday, it being quite safe to call at
the institution, for the last smallpox
patient was discharged fully two months
ago. Erickson was brought into the
office. AT the first glance he looks just
what he pretends to be sailor, and no
one whOiis not acquainted with the symp-
toms of leprOsy would ever suspect that
the man before him was doomed TO rot
piecemeal into his grave His face is
red and slightly bloated, Just like those
of many old shellbacks who haunt the
water 'front.' but second and closer look
shows that it is not alcohol that has
colored and swelled the flesh 1t appears
) hard and crusty, lying in ridges and
forming modues, with deep interesting
wrinkles according to the play
! of fbn Tnuccloo There ox,1osaFro,,, tLo
) affected parts watery substance On
the forehead the tell-tale yellow spots,
which look as if they were made with
tobacco juice, are plainly visible. The
hands are swollen to almost double their
size, exactly as if they were frost bitten.
Erickson can still use his fingers to some
extent, though only withdificulty. The
swelling in turn comes and goes, but
they always discharge moisture.
But all these symptoms might still as
cape all except the most observing man,
! nor did the reporter fully realize the horri
bic nature of the disease until DR.. Foye
told the afflicted sailor to roll up his
sleeves. He did 80 and disclosed arms
upon which there was sores to sore, some
as large as half dollars and others as large
as a half dime But there was not q
3 sound spot upon which ten-cent piece
n might have been laid. 1t was all a fes
s tering, rotting mass. Erickson himself
f does not believe that he is afflicted with
. leprosy. He can give no account of how
i he could possibly have contracted thu
IT disease, asserting that he has never
If suffered from syphilis. He does not know
n how long ago the disease first declared
II itself. The red spots on his arms frs
!. attracted his attention about year ago
10 since which time his condition has bcei
r getting rapidly worse DR.. FOye give
a him about five or six years to live. Ii
. order to show the full ravages of the
disease DR.. Foye next caused a China
4 man, who has been in the hospital only
# three months, to be brought in. Tn
r appearance which this unfortunate pre-
sented was appalling The head wa
swollen to about twice its natural size
closing the eyes, hiding the nose ant
, leaving nothing of all the features but al
70 opening leading into the mouth. tn
70 hands of the leper were covered witt
70 crusts. which looked as if they wer
n sprinkled with flour and between tn
~ rOttening stumps of the fingers he held
" rag with which he continually wiping tn
70 Gxuding water from his face. When slip
N pers were removed and his feet exposed
: it was seen that his toes, feet and lee
n were rOttening as far as the knees. Tn
N former was livld mass of sores, appar
q emily ready to fall off at the slighte:
70 touch The unfortunate being cnul
i hardly walk. There was still anothe
ID lepeI, who had lost all his fingers up
= the last joint yet strangely enough, th
. stumps do not appear sore, DR.. Foy
nj explained that the limbs were shrivelin
A. up-a phrase of the disease which is NJ
r uncommon. There are now sixtee
at Chinaman and one white man Athlete
ey with leprosy at the pest house. Tt
IN east end of the ground is assigned to then
n a high board fence dividing them frol
q the smallpox branch of the establish
in ment. They pass their days in gain
as stolidly upon the bleak hill and take II
nd other comfort except"to sun themselve
IN awaiting death stolid with indifference.
ed