The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-03-05

was stopping he pointed out two; in the
royal band, here were five, he said, and III
| the army, numbering sixty soldiers, there
were fifteen From the hotel he pointed
out = house occupied by a native family
The father and mother had already been
sent to Molokai The children.we look
ing over the fence and on their faces
could see the white ointment which the
doctor had applied They were still in the
first stage of leprosy Not long ago one OF
my friends showed symptoms of the dis
ease. He went to the United States and
/ stayed six months [ saw him but once
after his return and his face was already
thick and swollen. The natives care little
/ for the disease. but they dread Molokai,
the living grave, and when sick they hide
themselves. All possible means are used
4 to prevent being sent there, and political
influence is only too often strong enough
| TO grant exemption. And therein lies the
danger The disease is known to be in
fectious, and there are strong grounds for
suspeetiHg that it is also contagious. 1t is
! high time that the United States govern
ment should take action. The ratio of in
| crease during the last ten years has been
| frightful. 1t is now in every native family
and also that of number of Caucasians
| It has laid hold of the white blood and no
| one knows where it will stop. The more it
spreads the less care is exercised. The gov
e nment appears to think little and care
less. 1t seems 20 think the task of collect
ing the lepers too great, and hundreds of
cases are allowed to remain in town. The
traffic with other nations continues unre-
stricted. The merchandise is handled by
leprous hands there and by healthy hands
here. On the wharves. in the streets, the
cane mills, sugar fields, in short, every
xEb Ion ind mir
distributing the poison and aiding to
spread the disease. | am convinced that
within five years the islands will have to be
declared lazaretto, and that all outward
communication will have to be prohibited.
The experience of Mrs. Mckinley is also
worth relating. She had secured healthy
looking native woman as seamstress. The
woman continued at work for several days
when she suddenly informed her mistress
that the time at which she usually visited
the doctor had arrived.
But what do you wish tn see the doctor
about?' asked Mrs. Mckinley.
''Oh i am treated for leprosy," said the
girl quite unconcernedly.
She was allowed to go to the doctor, but
she was not allowed to return At the time
of sailing of the City of New York DR.. Fitch
had large number of patients under treat
ment. He declared that there was not a
native woman on the isla nd free from the
taints of the disease. In his opinion the
disease was an advanced stage of syphilis,
of the same type as that which ravaged
Europe during the Middle age In medi-
cal circles at Honolulu opinion is divided
whether leprosy is contagious or not 1t
is infectious to a high degree, and SO much
50 that the poison can be conveyed by the |
touch, as by handling bales or merchandise. |
10
According to DIR. Emerson who also has |
had extensive experience with the disease. |
Il shows itself first in pain in the bones |
and general laSsitude of limbs. This is |
almost always accompanied with an ulcer |
Dn the foot. Then the brown spots around /
she eyes and on the arms appear and the
fps of the ears begin to swell The dis
Ease next attacks the extremities. Out
wardly the flesh ks~healthy enough. but [
t soon looses the sense of touch A pin
or lancet may be run through the affect
ID parts without pain. 1t is the general
practice of the Kanakas to test the pro-
sress of the disease by running pins into
he affected parts. There is no decided
outward sign until the flesh begins to
well. 1t forms in ridges like the skin of
N elephant. The fingers and toes begin
o drop off, and often whole limbs fall to
pieces. Dr. Fitch related a case where, /
by taking hold and squeezing the heel OF a
patient, he had pushed every bone out of
he leper's foot. Such subjects, of course,
re entirely helpless, but they do not die
S long as food is given them. The. pro
'ress of the disease is varied. 1t has shown
Iself in one year, and in some cases only
fter seven years. In some instances it at
Acks the children and then the parents,
nd at other times vice versa. But wherever
shows itself there is no further help.
Within the past five years the poison seems
D have gained virulence.
THE HAWAIIAN PRESS.
A portion of the Hawaiian press has be-
ONE thoroughly alarmed. 1t feels com
ell led to be outspoken on the subject. 1t
nows the situation to be most grave and
lere is no escape from acknowledging that ,
be the fact. The SATURDAY, Press of
anuary 20, 1888, used the following Ian
uage in leading article:
What will it avail us if we labor and
;heme and plead to secure a renewal of
lie reciprocity treaty and neglect the ter
BILE scourge in our midst which threatens
very home in the country? The history
the past warns us to beware of the
ture. Instances not a few can be re.
He'd by many here where innocent chill
en-, young men and maidens, besides
lmbers in adult life. ali of pure Anglo
lxon blood, have been sacrificed to the
,mon leprosy- a demon from whose en-
ace the Hawaiian race has not the power