Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1883-06-09
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"LEPERs CURED dND DTsCHd
A leader in the Advertiser OF the 5th instant
once more calls to mind that dread disease
lcprosy, as also the abominabe system under
which it continues to be managed. 1t may be
very pleasant 10 poor deluded natives, who
hold the idea Of segregation in great repugn
ance, to believe the comfortable assurances Of
the premier and Of Doctor Fitch in regard to
the contagious character Of the disease,
and to see them acting together in conformity |
with such theory; but far different is the feel.
ing Of the thinkers among the foreign portion
Of this community when contemplating such
actions as our contemporary has seen fit to
eulogize. As far as sympathy with the unfor
tunate victims Of this loathsome disease is con.
cerned we doubt not that it would be excep
tional to find, among the whites, persons who
possess less real sympathy for the sufferers
than the men who make it their business upon
evety occasion to boast OF their wondrous love
and care for the lcpefs. Notwithstanding
however, the extreme pity which is felt by
very humane individual for the hopeless leper,
! and a sincere regret that so 'ar no specific for
the malady has been found, 1t IL settled as
conviction in every intelligent mind that
duty Is owed to the healthy as well as 10 the
sick, and that an absolute segregation of every
known eper is that only which can satisfy the
indications Of this duty. How lamentabe is 1t
then to see the government with an inscrutabe
persistency forever inteiposing obstacles in the
way Of the only proper course Of conduct
which, under the circumstances, is likely
to free the nation from the one plague
that is supping its life.
"Lepers Cured and Discharged" is the
astounding title Of an article descriptive OF cer
tain proceedings which lately took place at the
leprosy hospital Of the town. Were the title
suggestive of the truth, what rejoicing should
there be throughout the length and breadth Of
the land But what are the facts With re-
; gard to two Of the cases at least, the writer
knows positively that they are not cured; and
no respectfully educated physician on these
islands will call them so One, the writer
personally inspected and questioned as to the
state of his health, in company with a promi.
nent and respected physician in practice here,
and found him an unmistakable lcper. On his
; left cheek there remained large tubercle
l. and on the distal end Of the middle finger o
the left hand was an unheaed ulcer bound
about with rags. Leprous congestion OF The
conjunctivr Of both eyes was still present, al
, though more noticeable in one than in tn,
e other. The sensation of his face, according tc
Y his own admission, was far from being per
4 fectly restored. What the condition Of hi
!, body under his clothes might have been, o
n course, there was no opportunity to see. Upol
i questioning him as to the nature of his dis
IS charge from the hospital, he said: 81 hav
/, been ordered TO return and report myself ol
;. the 2and of this month, and meanwhile, hav
Il been ordered TO continue the use Of the medi
n cine supplied me at the hospital. have bee
1t in the hospital rife more than two months
e and when | went there first was worse than
r am now" But this man with eight other
IF who have been discharged is called, by tn
:. organ of the premier, "cured leper," and a
} his name is mentioned, together with that
lie one other, while the names Of seven discharge
At ones are unmentioned, it is quite natural t
" infer that they represent no worse conditio
At than the rest. Mr.. Samuel Kamohakau is tn
,e man seen by the writer, who knows the hi
lie tory of his case from the beginning. tt
m Advertiser says of him: Z" Another case i
&c Sam. Kamohakau, resident Of Lahaina, we
81 al, hal hoe
ut about eight months ago, when he presente
is a very ptiable appearance, with swollen ar
rs distorted face and many suppurating sores, ar
rs on this occasion he did not present on his pc
he son the appearance of spot OF flaw Of al
1t kind as an indication Of the disease" I'll
C. writer remembers well when Mr.. Kamohaki
lis wen, to the hospital. 1t was not eigh, mont
rd ago, as stated by the Advertiser; according
hit his own statement he was not in the hospit
on even three months.
to But the Advertisers description Of
nd physical appearance is not more truthful tn;
,r. its statement as to the time OF his stay in he
ms ptal. We are told by the Advertiser tn
oh these cases were 'all submitted for critical e
In animation by the board, and declared in the
to opinion to be sound in body and free from al
MS contagious disease whatever" But who co
ed sttute the board that takes upon itself
oh critically examine" cases Of disease A bo,
IN. OF presumptuous layman, with Gibson at tn,
an head who have seen fit to oppose their pI
of tended opinions against those of the who
Is. medical fraternity of the place upon all matt,
nat pertaining to the treatment Of leprosy.
rot stead of having sent out nine "cured leper.
he as is stated, they have sent out lepers that Q
wo nnen,ed, to form SO many more centers Of &C
he tagion and further help on the spread Of t
an disease. Moreover, Doctor Fitch, who
his charge of the hospital, and Mr.. Gibson, W
his employs him, and who authorized and perha
er. wrote the Advertiser article, both well kn
tha, 40 owed Ltfer has eper iy7 that Ao,pit
Simply to hatter the Hawaiian prejud
against forced segregation, the Premier a
ris. upon the assertion of Doctor Fitch who s.
on that the disease is not contagious; con
n, quence, there are bad lepers to-day walk
the the streets Of Honolulu, and at perfect libe
lie to mix with whom they please. One notable
au' stance is that Of school teacher who gives
i,al siruction at a large school, and who has "
its marked leprosy. She is under the trea,m,
, is Of Doctor Fitch for the disease, and has b,
sn' for about year. She Acknowledges that
lis. has been pronounced leper and that c.
ina has been promised il medical treatment
'dy strictly adhered to for two years more.
a. h.. has
on. two fingers amputated by the disease, q
ire, shows other well marked symptoms Of lepro
ish And so !, goes, and so it will go as long
, ,;ss We have such philanthropis,s as Gibson at
| "a head of the board of health and medi