The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-10-17
dusty and well-marcerated flesh, which
is helieYed to have sovereign qualities.
HaHaii's Lepar Colony.

From q communication just received
from the Attorney General of Hawaii We
are enabled, says the Pail Mall Ga:ette,
to gather the latest official information
regarding the spread of leprosy in King
KaIakaua's dominions. On April l, 1885,
there were 426 male and 227 femsle-or
total of 653-lepers at the settlement
on the island of Molokai, where they are
segregated by law from the rest OF the
population of Hawaii. From that date
to July, 1887, "a male and 3 female
lepers were sent in. Owing apparently
to strict enforcement of 1.-THE law, 1856
male and 113 female lepers were added to
the settlement between July. 1887, and
March |, 1888. The deaths in two years
numbered $50, and 749 lepers remained
alive upon Molokai males aud 257
feu,ales-on the 1st of April last. At
the shospital at Kaka-ako there were at
the same date So lepers, and it is Off
ciaily estimated that upward of 400
others were at large at that period. i -.
The disease is spreading, owing. it is
alleged, to the refusal of the native
Hawaiians to believe it contagious: They
offer a stolid, passive resistance to the
law requiring lepers to- be sent to Molo-
kai, hence the discovery of new cases ID
rendered extremely difficult to the In
spectors and Ieper detectives" of Homo
lulu. In some cases the Government al
lows healthy persons, near relatives of
the diseased ones, to accompany them TO-
and serve them at the quarantine settle
ment at Molokai. Much difficulty is
found in limiting the number Of
.koknas" or helpers, for many of the
healthy wish to 60 with their deceased
friends not only from affection but to
obtain rations and shelter and clothing g.
at the Government expense: That the
disease is contagious is anainference from
nothing but its spread. Many persons
live for years in the closest relations
with lepcrs, without becoming"l leprous,.
Father Lamien, the priest, who hereto
fore devoted his life to the Molokai set
tlement, having lived amongthe afflicted
people for over ten years before he be-
came Affected with the contagion.
Children of leDrous parents have often
been know, in Honolulu and other por-
tions of the Hawaiian groups, to have
remained untainted till the end of their
lives. The mystery as to the manner, OF
the communication of leprosy, and the
fact that no plain case of the disease has
ever been cured, add to the horror at its
gradual advance. Still the impression
of the Hawaiian authorities is that they
could succeed in stamping it out if the
law allowed them to segregate to the
end of their lives not only lepers and
suspected lepers, but all who have lived
in intimacy with the diseased. The sup
port of the unfortunates. is very costly to
King Kalakaua's Government, and
threatens to impoverish it. within .
measurable period unless the spread Of
leprosy be in some way checked. A
German savant alleges that he has dis
covered cure, but so far it has served
only to alleviate the distress of a few
sufferers. There is some talk in Official
circles in Honolulu of inviting M. Pas
teur to study the disease, with view TO
suggesting some means of either curing
it or abating to some extent its viru-
1ence .s..-. .. q. - 81 u