The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-03-02
LOUISIANA LEPERs.
How They Are Treated in tho Acadian
Colony by the mississippL

How They Are TREATED fn the Acmdan
Colony by THE mfssissippE
The discovery Of two lepers In Phil
adelphia and the excitement which
this event seems to have caused, WAS
modified reproduction OF far more
serious affair. which. indeed. reached
the dignity of a panic in Southwest
ern Louisiana town last summer IL Is
a notorious fact that leprosy has exist
ed and exists to-day in Southern
Louisiana, but with rare exceptions IL
Is confined To certain well defined To-
calities. where the lepers live to them
selves in colonies. holding no inter-
course with their neighbors and
separated wholly from the world. The
two principal leper colonies are on the
lower end Of Bayou La Fourche and
prairie In vermillion parish. The La
Fourche lepers are the most numerous.
They live in "A swampy country. out of
all lines of travel and. indeed, not
easily reached. They are quiet. we'll
behaved people, inter-marrying with
each other and thus perpetuating the
fearful heritage to their children. The
State Board Of Health has made several
attempts TO investigate them. but they
are so fearful OF being arrested and
taken up that they fed into the swamps
when the officers visited them.
The existence of leprosy i'm the La
Fourche district is well known. but the
fact that the lepers held intercourse
with those in good health. caused little
alarm on their account Early last
summer. however. reports became
current that leprosy existed in the
town of St. Martinsville, the prin-
eipal town of that section. St
MartinsviIIe Is known as the Acadian
Paris. 1t IS town of 2.50O people.
beautifully situated on the banks of the
Teche. and one of the oldest settle
ments in the State. 1t is the seat OF
Longfellow's poem of "Eyangeline."
has population of mainly Acadian
origin, with old-fashioned houses.
streets lined with orange trees, and
tury ago. II lies at the head of navi-
CATION on the Teche. and since a rail-
road has been built there. has become
an important trade center. and does a
large business with the surrounding
country.
The rumor Of leprosy was first heard
last summer. The story gathered
strength as il travelled. aud within a
couple IF weeks had reached terrifying
proportions. 1t was declared through
all the surrounding country that there
were from six hundred TO one Thousand
lepers in St Martinsyille. The town
was Stunned as though it were plague
stricken. The people of the country
refused to venture within its limits:
It's business died away. and line was
drawn around the town into which but
few ventured. Every one suspected
his neighhor of leprosy. Kissing and
handshaking went out of practice. and
the BARRIERS had nothing to do because
no one was brave enough to be shaved
by razor which might have been
previously used on leper. Two or
three families who suffered from boils
became pariahs, as every one refused
to have any relations with them
This condition of affairs. which con-
tinued for few weeks, became finally
intolerable, and the citizens of St.
Martinsville requested the State Board
of Health to send committee to the
town and investigate the alleged preva-
lance of leprosy there. so as to re-
lieve the town of the panicky feeling.
The president of the board himself
went, an investigation was begun. the
like of which has never before been
seen. Every person in the town who
was suspected. every one who had so
much rs n pimple on his face or hands
was examined. The investigation
showed that the leprosy story had this
much foundation. that there were four
persons. two women and two children,
undoubtedly affected with this loath-
some and disgusting disease, and two
others who appeared to have it, but of
whom it could not be fully determined
The lepers were removed and insulated.
and the panic disappeared as rapidly
rs it had originated. The town of ST.
Martinsville is now free of the disease
and doing its usual business.-N. o.
Cor. philadelphia Press.