Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-04-26

claimed attention. After much lDqulryi II
was learned that the known cases were all
more o. less under the observation of the
members of the Dermatoloeicsl Society,
and from these gentlemen the following
facts were aiSertained: During the month
OF February Philadelphia was much exer.
cised over the report that leper who had
| escaped from hawaii was living in that
| city. The exposure and consequent fear OF
! being shut up i'll some lazaretto caused the
| leper 10 take fight, and il was supposed
that he bad made his way into Western
Canada. But the suppostion was altogether
| wrong, for the man is in New York,
| whittier he came directly from. Philsdel-
| phia. He is now within pistol shot OF
| the corner OF Brordway and Thirty second
street: His case presents many remark.
able features. His name Is kept
| A Profousd Secret.
He is "a years of age, was born in Honolulu
| and resided there, occasionally making
trips to the States. His parents were ma.
tives of New Hampshire. By occupation
planter, he also filled judicial position,
| and was q man Of wealth and influence
| among the native and foreign population.
| lie is a married man with a family. About
eight years ago he noticed tie fatal dead
| SPOT OF skin just above the knee. That
| spot spread slowly but steadily. shooting
| sensations Coursed through his limbs.
| Then he lost sensation in the hands. Drs.
! Hagan Trousseau. skilled physicians, could
| do nothing for him, and finally, in despair,
! but still ignorant Of the fearful disease OF
which lie was the victim, he came to.this
! country and!made his way 10 Philadel phia
| 10 Prof Samuel ID. Gross. BY this time
! no doubt could be entertained that he was
leper.
A still more remarkable case OF leprosy
| in this city is that of wealthy German
! lady, who is suffering from the an:Csthetic
| type OF leprosy. She is ~ years OF age Is
! married. and has children. Noticing spots
upon her face and feeling nunbness in
! her hands. she called in Dr. L. 4. Morrow,
! of l3 East Forty.hrst street, who, a'ter
! careful examination. was forced 10 tell the
unfortunate lady that she was leper. Dr..
rosy is increasing. that il is conta-
! cious. and that active measures
Should he taken TO stop the
| spread Of the disease.
Dr, Putzcr. OF 252 East Forty-eighth
street. surgeon 10 the Bureau Of Outdoor
| Relief Of Bellevue Hospital, has "A case
which pr. StUrgis pronounces case OF
mscular leprosy. DR.. Puizel is not satis'
fed that the young ir.shman is leper,
but skilled dermatoIogisis have
| No Doubt Ofthc Fact.
! This young lrShman WORKS along the
| wharves as steyedOre.
| One of the most mysterious cases oil
! leprosy is that OF wealthy New Yorker,
| who is believed t6 have contracted she dis
! ease while travelling in Oriental countries.
! His identity is known to but two physl'
clans, and they keep his secret inviolate.
| He is never seen by former friends, and
although he frequently drives out it is al.
ways in closed coupe.
DR.. Piilard, who makes special study OF
! dermatology said to the reporter: II nave
! known for some time that leprosy exists in
! New York. have had several cases under
INV immediate care. and have been con-
suited in other cases. How many cases are
in the city and State cannot presume 10
say.
Is leprOSy on the Increase
Without any doubt. Leprosy Is seldom
hought OF by our people, save in connec.
ton With the sCriptural allusion to II, and
even then doubt if they grasp tue true
import of the word. But the Careiessness
! on the subject is caused through ignorance.
SeClusiOu is tue only means Ol stamping
out the disease. When we remember that
even IN Great Britain and other countries,
whore It Is not nov found, lcprOsy pre-.
vailed in quite recent times, and
when We take INTO consideration the scan.
duavian and Chinese immigration To our
shores We ,an bat .drAit that the disease
will spread IL not checked. The lepe. in
these countries is u traCiscd, not only on
account OF his lJathsomencss, but for the
sake Of the safety Of the rest Of the popula.
tion. When We remember that leproSy
leads unfalingly 10 death within a'few
wears. We may well ask il the Government
should not take steps topreyent the spread
OF the diSea,e. \ number OF physicians,
who have made the matter special study,
will soon bring the matter before the Der
matOlOgiCal Society, with view Ia Petl.
tioniug Congress to establish q National
lazaretto. 1t is a necessary step, and should
be undertaken Immediately. Among Other
things, the safety OF the people demands
that active quarantine measures be estab'
lisbed. Why yellow fever should be quar-
antined and leprOsy passed am sure can
not tell. one lepcr was stopped at Quar-
antine recently, and sent back whence he
Came.'
10 YOU know Of any other cases be-
sides those in this city-that is, in the im
II ediatc vicinity asked the reporter.
oh. yes, a number, \as the answer
There is
Very Remarkable Case
Now in IN, interior Of New York State. i
il a case uf a farmer VINO has never bee
| lWlNl'f " wv 'JNl'' y rHh lliN never, ti
LiS klosledge, come In contact with ,
leper 7. a:s -. 'hE sppearnncc OF (
sporadic csse; but, in all probability, h,
has come in contact with some wandering
leper. There is another lepcr in New
Jersey. near the coast He was a sailor
and contracted the disease in his travels.
riiave you met with any cases OF leprosy
among the Chinese
IL is very difficult TO detect. There have
beo- two or three cases treated, but ! be
iieye ths. they seGrcte their sick. sm un
aware of any way ni Gndins them.
Dr. +. L. Sturgis Of West ThirtYsecon 4
street said: Il cannot give an accurate
guess al the number Of lepers in this state
or vicinity. but know there are too many.
can now recall about eight or nine cases.
About thirty cases have come under the
observation OF the Dermat1logical Society
Of this city within the last eight years: Not
long siuce leper escaped from the leper
colony at MOlosai, in the Sandwich Islands,
made his way to Salem, Mass. He was re-
Gently in the worEhouse there. The su-
ihOriiies made efforts 10 get him into the
New York Charity Hospital, but our CON-
nissioners had lepers enough. lie died the
other day.
There is another case that is not gener.
ally known. Dr. Sherwood, Of Raymond
street, brooklyn, hsn cbhHeo oi IL tns
disease menacing 70 the inhabitants? Very
much so. The presence OF dozen cases
of leprosy In this State is enough 70 inocu-
late a great number OF persons. To show
the very great danger run, will refer you
10 Dr. Underbill's statement that - per
cent. Of the children Of lepers die directly
from the disease. DR.. Emerson, OF Homo
lulu. says: There is no doubt that leprosy
may be communicated BY a leper 70 q
healthy person. 1t generally lies latent
many yesrs, bu: at length the period Of in
cubstIon Icing passed. the crop appears.
and it always kills. The whole history of
Ieprosy, from the earliest times, marks II
az disease that has perpetuatet itself by
human intercourse. bas extended It's rav.
ages as its human vehicle, man has carried
il from one land 70 another ana that IL has
been killed only as the result Of s:.ive