The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-02-22
TIE HORRORS OF .LEpROsY.


TILE HORRORS OF LEPROSY, !.
Heart-nending scenes in the New
Brunswiek Laxarett0..--TnprIsO
for Life and Awaiting Death.
The sights of misery which abound in the
ieprosY colony of New Brunswick are not sur
passed In horror by those so common In the
iar-off Islands where the contagion Is believed
tohave originated. Half century ago man
nafHed Gardner, Scotchman aud resident
oil the little town of Miranlichi, saw fawu
eolofed spot ON his wife's forehead. Anon
there was omnous swellings at the corners of
her eyes. The fawn-colored spots were doubled
and Quadrupled. The husband sought the
advice OF Dr. Mackey, young medical gradu-
ate This ply sican made a. careful study Of
fhe disease It baffled his skin. So engrossed
was he inalssstudY that he grew thin and
pale. Sleepless nights were passed. To add
TO his distraction his attention was directed to
second case. The victimswas Mrs. Landry
living seventy-fve miles from Miramiehi. OF
French extraetiony she was I'M no way related
10 Mrs. Gardner. Fawn colored spots appeared
upon her body. Her skin became as transpar-
eat and as scaly as isinglass. The contraction
OF the fingers and the ominous swelling of the
eyes were there. There were the same aches
apdpai1s as in the case of. Mrs. Gardner The
physician vas nonplussed. At the end of his
medical ropey defeffained to ascertain the true
CHARACTER OF. the disease, be sold his little
property and went to Europe. He Travelled
through England, France and Germany, aud
cleaned no Information. Acting lip N hint
received In Pa Is, he passed through Denmark
into Norway. Near the coast, where the main
staple Of food was dried fish and salt meats.
be visited lazaretto. It's inmates were i'm.
INJURED for life There was no installing the
symptoms. They were suffering from the same
disease ss Mrs Gardner and Mrs Landry, II
lpffney and yra dr.
TO Miramiehi DR.. Mackey found the scoufge
eating iRte the community like "a cancer.
Prompt action was necessary. Mrs. Gardner,s
fingers had dropped off at the Joints and her
skin was dry and fiaky. Mrs. Landry was in a
worse condition. Her eyesight was gone, and
she exhibited unmis akable syptems. OF ele--
phsntiasis. The young physician sounded the
alarm. The interest of the Oldest practi-
TONERS was aroused. One or two scoffeti at
the idea OF leprosy, and asserted that the dis
ease would yield to remedies employed in
scrofulus and similar complaints. Their ex-
periments, however, verified the young doc
tors discovery, and the community was
thoroughly startled There were seyenty-eieht
cases in one section In year. The Provincial
Parliament was spurred to action under per-
sonal appeals of he members from Mirarfichi
4 Dill establishing a lazaretto. was passed.
enelidFake Island, tdetting bay on the north
east coast Of the Province, was the spot Sc
no
81 ottrayel. Here buildings were erected. with
barred Wtndo|s. Astrict search for all tainted
win ieprosy was made, and they were confined
On this island. Scores of the unfortunate
wretehes were captured. The lazaretto was
under The charge of two men, who seemed to
oe destitute OF all feeling. No care was given
the lepers. They were mostly ignorant French
canadians, who had eked out living by cul-
aVating the thin soil and BY fishing. Gle mil
ness was not virtue. They were neither
oathed nor dieted. Clean underclo hing was
uistrouted thrice year. The most abiect
sad sqnalid never removed their clothing, but
wthe eleaa shirts over the old ones at each
glstroutlon. The sexes were not separated
Inc iazaEetto was virtual prison for life It's
inmates rotted like murfained sheep. It was
tne horror OF the adjacent parishes. Occasion
aly poor wreteh escaped and appealed to
those outside for protection. Every face was
turned from him. He desecrated Ieyerythine
that hetolched Even the fence that be leaned
against while telling his epitiful story, was
contaminated. III he drank from a spring the
sprlpg vas poisoned. If cup of milk vs q
@aEss shim the cup Slgas broken as soon q
0fained. A walking upas tree, freighting the
ssthosphere VITA its poisons would not have
oeen regarded with more horror. He was
either recaptured ordriyen back to the laza-
fetto oY hunger. Worse than all this. lenerz
n whom the seeds of the disease were frllctifv,
ing, were concealed by friends and relatives
Inc iazafett0 was regarded as more of a prison
saah hospital A commitment disgraced a
lalnhY Tar more than comni ment to the
penlleniiary Fathers and mothers endan-
esrea themselves and their families in the
euoft to shield a favorite son or daughter II
naasa as 2 disgrace to be hidden, and not to be
u Ihe lazsTetto was removed to Tracadie. en-
60. &c oayset that name, about 1910. Here the
sealnent OF the unfortunates was a little
nes.ef,' put there was an utter lackof cieanli-
nsSs until fourteen years ago, when the Sisters
~ mercy toek sole charge. They found the
inmates dying in filth and misery. They in
;ra5. ;s1a,sa1ee new reaanent. They tore out the
sssoa hun oars from the windows. The lefers were
s"s5leq each day and their ulcers were, care
.Slf ~ dressed. The bandages were washed ana
sue elptneS Aof The unlortunates were 7ker.
ssITiupuiousts ssiy neat and clean. They were
.ss,9Ned AtRe freedom Of the grounds. The
%" ss@es were separated. RaiiU of tobacco
800 given o-the men. A sail boat was
sslasnk md parties of the lepers were allowed
" " 20 sailing and fishing. Nor was the bodv
oue entertained. The Sisters administered
Ss ~ sae mmd: The lepers no longer brooded.
sa3 ana night over their unfortunate condi-
ssI .,e some OF their number played the violin
ICY .saaey danetd TO its music. A sure death
sss shus robbed Of some OF its terrors When
sns,,p ~ ,pIovthees were confederated In the Do
sisslosi OF Canada the lazaretto passed 1lnfler
SSs.s aSsSohtfoi OF the Federal Government. The
sirss.s ao"eVer remained IN charge, recely
rs 8, miserable pittan &c from the GoyesnnIe,,t
sot,e,,ga III ,lanors The rigor of the law was
sSs.sshsa eYEr Joseph Al Babineau. nasto- of
sae little Catholic Church st Tracafist lWhsn en-
sss;a. ss 2, ieprosy were reported he visited the
svi.e siesen and prepared their minds for the in
wi.s i,isoe. They usually entered sthe Iazaretto
ri,sds S gnation and submitted to their fate
ef,orss y niarnur Where the COED fathers
sS,sesIs tsled the stroug arm OF the law Sgas
nseked, and theg were seized @ " I,te .ns law was
~ for life Their asconfent was
sbss sbsssa ss oy the Kindness of the Sisters. and
sier .o oropped into the grave hopeful of bet
iT,s.sslqi VISIT TO THE IEPER COLONY.
liIs saaie sasae can only be reached by a fifty-sve
kssIrcossihs we rom the Newcastle Station On The
S''sa psIweep Halifax aud Quebec, 4