The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-07-21
the WORST OF DISEASES.
Leprosy Discussed in All It Forms bv
DR.. Joseph Bechtinger.

1
Bechtinger is at present surgeon to the
Panama Canal Company, and has been in
the army medical service of Italy, Of
Great Britain in Abyssinia, in the Civil
Service of Holland in Sumatra, Java and
Borneo. He was also attached to the
Egyptian medical service under Tsmail
Pasha, and has travelled extensively where
leprosy exists rampant and in its worst
forms. He made the disease a study, and
spoke from personal observation and un-
firing research. He said that it was only
by observation that leprosy could be made
more familiar. Nowhere else could such
leprosy be seen as in the Sandwich Is
lands. Nowhere could the disease be
studied to better advantage than in those
beautiful islands. 1t was one of the most
wonderful climates in the world, the tenn
perature averaging IS degrees all the year
round. In such wonderful country and
with the surroundings so healthy, why is
the number of primitive inhabitants
growing less7 Leprosy was the answer
The Doctor then entered into the early
history of the natives of the islands, and
the terrible impatieuce of the smallpox
victims, who, in the dangerous moments
of pustulous eruption, cast themselves
into the surf and were drowned. Accord
ing to Captain Cook, the population of
the islands during his time was 300, 900.
In 1866 the the inhabitants of the islands
numbered $4,000.
What was the cause of this terrible
decimation? The disease spread over the
islands like wild6re, creating conster
nation everywhere. 1t was considered
the sacred duty of the natives to offer
their wives and children to strangers.
The legitimate age of marriage was eight
years. But as this was not enough to de-
stroy the Kanakas of the Sandwich Is
lands, there came the Chinese, who trans
mitted leprosy. Numerous physicians
had stated that leprosy was known on the
islands in 1880. This was incorrect. Dur
ing that year and the next few years in
telligent missionaries from England in
vaded that country. They saw no traces
of leprosy. True, numerous skin diseases
existed. Had the Kanakas been aware
of any such disease, they would have
adopted measures to check or eradicate it
entirely. Up to 1s48, when the Mongo-
lians made their appearance on the islands
the disease was not known. Four or five
years after, it broke out with devastating
effect. Here the Doctor introduced
number of stereopticon views showing
diseases of the skin allied to leprosy.
Lepers in the Honolulu Islands were
sent to portion of the country surround
ed on three sides by high, inaccessible
walls of rock open only on one side.
There they were left to rot to DEATH
Through DR.. Bechtinger's efforts the ex-
istence of the wretches was somewhat
ameliorated. Leprosy was prehistoric
plague attended by peculiar skin erup-:
ton. Investigation proved it to be bac-
terian disease. According to the opinion
or classification Of English dermatolo-
gists. the disease was divided into three
forms, viz: Tubercular leprosy, anas
thetic leprosy and mixed leprosy, the
latter being union of the former two.
The symptoms of leprosy were much the
same as those of rheumatism. All rem
edies for the last-named disease were
used, even mercury, without any result
being obtained. The patient knew no
rest, and had little ambition for his call
ing. After the terrible malady had lain
latent and dormant for months or years,
perhaps, to the patients surprise he would
break out in small brown spots. In tu-
bercular leprosy the eruptions would be-
gin first in parts exposed to the air.
With the anasthetic form they would
make their appearance on covered parts
of the body. They would increase in
size and multiply until the body was one
mass of corruption. Colored people a.
flicted with the malady turned white.
During the Doctors travels nothing
surprised him more than to see entire vii
lagos cursed with leprosy. In an@sthetic
forms of leprosy the tissue of the body
and fingers and toes would
drop off without the patient knowing it.
He once saw the trunk of man being
carried on a stretcher. The upper and
lower limbs had rotted off. All over
Central America and the West Indies tu-
leprosy was the most largely
represented. In the British West Indies
anesthetic leprosy held sway. In Africa
it was Just the reverse. In all his travels
whore leprosy was endemic, the Doctor
saw but few negroes affected. Up to
few years ago leprosy was unknown IN
Peru. Not one case of tubercular or an
leprosy had been met with
among the Arabs. People living in trop-
ical climates on fatty foods vera usually
prcdispoeed to the malady. The an@s-
thetic form of leprosy was susceptible %
cure. Many cases Of anesthetic leprosy
ordod <h. vav tlev hogan. Ha had vet |