The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-04-14
ALEPER IN PHILADELPHIA.

about Two weeks ago gentleman Of
rlsa.ius address presented himself 10 the
most eminent surgeon IN America, DR..
samuel d. Gross, of Philadelphia, having
is,,s-, Of introduction from two physicians
~ lie Sandwich Islands. The man WAS
VEL, dressed, and evidently accustomed To
',,ol society, but, Notwithstanding these
s3ylutases, the impression produced hy
Tis appearance was not agreeable. The
stir OF his iace was of q dirty, salioW color.
and o..y and shiny. His eyes were heavy,
lie mas dropping and tlab5y, and his nose
tark red IN color. The evidences of pre-
mature old age We're too strongly stamped
mon him TO be mistaken. AS matter of
iac,-athOugh he did not suspect it-;his
mai. was that most horrible of human be.
irrs. victim of the dreaded dis
.Nsv The letters of introduction
he bore were sealed They informed DR..
eros that the patient, IN the opinion OF the
doctors OF Honolulu, from whence he came,
was a leper, As they dld not regard the
disease rs contagious, they had advised
him 10 visit the United States ana seek the
hest medical advice. The unfortunate vic
tim is gentleman of education, the son of
American parents, who emigrated from
New Hampshire to Honolulu, where he
W., born tuirty-iour years ago. DR.. Gross,
s,rer a careful examination OF the case. re-
lerred the patient to DR.. John V. Shoe
maker, and the unfortunate was taken to
the hospital for skin disease, on Locust
street. Here he told the story of his lite.
He IS a planter of ample wealth, whose
early manhood and much OF has fortune
were spent in excessive dissipation. He
lei Il merry life Tor some years, especially
among the women oil easy virtue ON the
island Eight years ago he became sensible
of decided loss of health, and he now re
calls q tact to which he paid no attention at
the time. A dead spot Of skin was begin
Ming to make its appearance Just above his
knee. six months later, when he had al.
most forgotten his former indisposition. he
married native lady of Honolulu, who
was woman in vigorous health.
"Nithn a year weak, puuy child was
born which lived out u few weeks. In the
meantime The spot OF dead skin began 10
grow larger, and his fingers and toes be-
came very sensitive. Sharp, shooting pains
ran through them. Within wear, how
ever, the pain was succeeded by sensation
Of deafness in his exlremii!es, and he was
scarcely able TO distinguish solid substances.
This was followed by the appearance of
bliSters on his fingers and toes. Medical
treatment failed to check the disease, and
his presence in Philadelphia is the result.
His condition now is horrible to contem.
plate.
His hands and toes have no sensation.
and when needles We're stuck into his ex.
tremitles by Superintendent +. &, Water.
man, the patient said he did not feel them,
In short, the case was tounu to be well-de.
nd xkl, aI, 1,n1 ~
anU3theIic form and gradually passed
into the more dreadful stages OF
the disease. DR.. Shoemaker prescribed
remedies to tone up the digestive organs,
and solutions to apply locally to the spots
Affected Outdoor exercise, to occupy his
mind as much as possible, was especially
urged. In three days the patient returned
TO theSlospltal looking somewhat brighter,
but that was all. Dr. Shoemaker invited a
number OF physicians and some of the
students of the hospital to examine the UNI
fortunate man. Only a lew responded, but
among them were ID. S. Sutton, of Mendou
Pennsylvania, DR.. Q. Young, of Chicago,
D. Frederick de Craft, of Germany, and ID,
+. h, Stewart, OF Philadelphia. 1t was ex.
planned to those present that the disease
according TO the latest aud best medical
authorities, is not contagious, except by
incubation.
THE result of the consultation was not
favorable. II was agreed that the disease
by proper hygenic measures, might be
aIiey!aled, but not cured. DIR. Shoemaker
theh aiv'ed his patient to seek some agri.
cultural district, in cold region in Mime.
sofa or the mountains of Switzerland, to
ieep his mind and body both employed.
0llh TINS advice he was asked to call again
~ Two days. The man listened to what
was SAID to him as one who hears the sen.
tence of his doom. He trembled. and
gssped for breath. For the first time he
learned that his was to be fate worse Than
death. His emotions overcame him, and
burying his head in his hands, he sat Tor n
long time as II striving to shut out the ter
nD!e truth. When he had regained sufli-
Gent composure, he said that he had no
ldea that he was suffering from leprosy.
AN the way from Honolulu he had every
nope oil being cured. The thought that he
was TO he mn outcast from society, that he
was cursed with the most loathsome of dis
eases, That he was TO be hunted down for
ISOLATION, appeared almost to have over-to
pled his reason. He cried out that he now
only wished TO die; no reasoning had the
shghtest effect upon his excited condition;
nnaily, he went away. The next day he re-
turned to the hospital, nervous, gloomy,
prostratedi he begged that his condition
would be kept secret Every moment he
WOULD glance around, as il tearing he would
DC seized, and would repeat mournfully,
hunted down for isolation" At last he
consented to start on Il hurried trip through
lhe country, to divert his mind, and make
arrangements to change his place OF resi-
uenSe. lie lett the city two days ago.
''HptnFn do Nurttt o. ,a,t ~. l.,
pital, and, rs If in distraction, made most
eXtravagant offers for such treatment as
might cure him; he said that no fee would
De TOO large if the awful disease could be
eradicated. He offered to give his fortune
10 the last penny, tor al assurance of a
restoration TO health, but he was told that
II was impossible"
olACe the above was written, the most
searching inquiries have failed to discover
the whereabouts of this afflicted person and
Iears are entertained that he has made way
with himself, Considerable feeling has
Deen manifested by the more liberal of our
physicians familiar with the case, because
alhofough trial was not made of the Cuti-
cura remedies which have cured so many
cases OF leprosy, both in Europe and this
country, as well MS other severe forms of
sEin and blood humors. All agreed that
~ haIn Cpulu come OF trial, ana could
see no difference between the symptoms in
ms case and those OF II. Il. Carpenter,
henderson, New York, who was promptly
and permanently cured by the Cuticura
remedies, and whose disease, reported in
ms own words, presented even more dis
tteSslng features than that of the Honolulu
planter, MIR. Carpenters statement is as
tOllowS;-
~ have been afflicted for twenty years
Win an obstinate skin disease, called lep-
rosy, commencing on my scalp; ana in
spite OF all could do, with the help of the
most iltul doctors, it slowly, but surely
extended, until q year ago this winter 1t
covered my entire person in form of dry
scales. For the last three years have been
anaoie to do any labor, and suffered in
tenseiy all the time. Every morning there
would be nearly a dustpan full of scales
,aSen from the sheet Of my bed, some OF
them half as large as the envelope confirm
lng thls letter. In the latter part of the
spring my skin commenced cracking open.
. Tried everything; almost, that could be
th9ught of without any relief. The 18th
OF June started west, in the hopes could
reach Hot Springs. | reached Detroit,
ana was so low | thourht | should have Ia