National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-02-13
OPENING A LEpER ASYLUM.


A Sandwich Island Incident of Much
signih sance in Chinese Infested
Country.
An interesting phase Of the history Of the
Hawaiian Islands is illustrated in the &C
count printed in pamphlet form and just
received here by mail, Of the "dedication Of
the Kapiolani Home, devoted to the care Of
girls, the children of leprous parents not
yet confirmed as lepers, and others sus-
pected Of the disease, at Honolulu, Nov. o.,
1885.
The exercises OF the dedication began at
II a. M, and consisted OF prayer, songs,
addresses, presentation to Queen Kaptolani
as lady patrOness Of the keys of the home,
delivery Of keys by her majesty to the
mother superior Of Franciscan Sisters In
charge, and the Hawaiian lepers' hymn
sung by leper children, accompanied by the
Royal Hawaiian band The Hawaiian yer
sion Of this hymn was composed by This
majesty the king on which account and
as n specimen OF the language verse Is
here given:
Ma konn Noho Ali,
la ike muluna nc,
Eha ka manu- n hoouna mai
kona Elelc Aloha.
Thus transated-the Saviour being al
udcd to-
Assembled to His throne,
lie sees us from above,
Feels for our woe and sends
Ills messengers OF love.
Great interest was taken by the natives In
the events Of the day. The queens own
volunteers acted rs guard Of honor. A
company Of leper children occupied seats
under the awning erected for their accom-
mediation in the yard OF the home. They
were clean and neatly dressed, and scarcely
suggested to the eye an unpleasant thought.
The royal standard iluttered above them.
Palms, wreaths, and flowers decorated the
home, wherein hung large picture of the
queen, with a vase of flowers on either side.
OF course their maiesties were present, her
royal highness Princess Liliuokalani, her
royal highness Princess Likelilie, her royal
hghness Kaiulani, her excellency the gov
erness Of Hawaii, and many other notabes.
The establishment OF this home was
matter Of serious difficulty. Women were
required as nurses and attendants; none so
desirable as sisters Of charity. These were
sought in Canada, but none would come to
lone and afflicted Hawaii. Then applica-
ton was made to various religious orders in
the United States, where, long batlled, at
last favorable hearing was granted by the
Franciscan convent OF st. Anthony, In
the city Of Syracuse, N. Y. Twenty-four
OF these devoted sisters volunteered their
services, six of whom, as pioneers, i'm.
mediately sailed, and in due time arrived at
Honolulu, namely, on Nov. 6, 1888. The
rest followed few months later. The VIC
tins to whom these women offered their
ministrations received them with joy. The
disease under which they suffered first at
tackled this nation about thirty years ago.
Since 1866 the government has expended
fully 81 100000 on account of leprosy, and
now bestows for this purpose at least one
dom.
There Is nothing in the history of the
disease, IL is stated, to cause the slightest
degree Of apprehension to foreigners, Only
seven out Of 500 lepers throughout the
country are foreigners, all - whom had
been long resident and intimately associated
with the natives.
II is also stated, by the highest authority,
that there is every reason to hope that the
virulence Of leprosy is on the decline; barely
3per cent. of the cases indicate an origin
more recent than within one or two years.
From the report Of Walter NJ. Gibson,
president Of the board Of health relating
to his visit to the leper settlement on the
island Of Molokai, the following extracts
are taken:
"At cottage, occupied by men in an ad-
vanced stage Of leprosy, the only request
preferred was the simple one that veranda
be erected, upon which they may sit In the
shade and enjoy the glorious sunlight.
This request for men who are slowly rotting
to their, graves was a touching one; 1t
showed that their love of life had not been
quenched, and they still had lingering
affection for the beauties of nature upon
which they are themselves so foul blot.
"Close by, in small cottage, sat an old
man and HIS wife, grooming together near
the door, and greeting with lugubrlous
'alohas' the visiting strangers. 1t was a
f,,1 ,ta 81
gal affection within the walls Of q leper
hospital. Death would have been happy
release for them, but these aged people did
not apparently want to die; they only
wanted their cottage roof patched.
1.-THE effect Of leprosy upon the young is
more remarkable by far than upon people
of mature years. 1t gives them a prema-
turely aged and elfsh-lille expression when
the disease affects the head and FACET
At the Girls Home, founded by Father
Damien, "the poor children, Of whom there
are twelve, ran indoors at the approach Of
strangers, and speedily robed themselves In
their best dresses. Their hopeless aflliction
had not robbed them Of this feminine trait,
but several Of them bent their heads and
covered their faces with their hands to hide
their distorted and unnatural features.
"The lepers are free tenants on the gov
eminent land. They have no rent or taxes
10 pay, and may inclose and cultivate a
patch Of land at pleasure. Many of them
do SO, and little colonies Of them are formed
who squat among the sheltered rocky land
some distance from the villages and plant
and cultivate sweet potatoes for their own
use. A surplus might very easily be raised,
but prejudice among people on the outside
would deny them market.
'The government provides the lepers O
liberal ration, consisting of twenty-onc
pounds OF poi, or Of rice and poi, with seven
pounds Of beef, and occasionally mutton
also, kerosene, soap, and milk. A supply
of clothing is furnished, equivalent to d
couple Of blankets and two suits given to
each individual.
Consumption and cancers are contagious
in perhaps greater degree than leprosy, but
their ravages do not disgust the mind
through the eye as leprosy does. For this
reason the consumptive and the cancerouS
are not segregated, although If they were
in all countries the fatal ravages Of these
diseases would soon be arrested, and thu
average health and longevity Of mankind
be greatly increased.
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