St. Paul daily globe., 1888-02-08
LOOKING AFTER LEPERS.
A Prominent Norwegian Physician Now
r in st. Paul.
"LEPROSY in MINNESOTA. y
The Physician Thinks There Are Some
Cases In This State---A Case
In Minneapolis.

G. Armaner Hanson. surgeon general
for leprosy in Norway, arrived in ST.
Paul yesterday, and will remain here
some time with DR.. Edward Boeckmann
at 225 East Seventh street.
81 came," said DR.. Hanson to GLOBE
reporter, Ito study leprosy in Mime
sota."
''Leprosy in Minnesota"
"YeS. You see the disease is quite
prevalent amongst the Norwegian peo-
pie, and a great many cases exist in
Norway. Many NOrwegianS having the
disease are known TO have emigrated to
America, and, as greater portion of
the emigrants come Immediately to Min
nesota, there must be considerable
leprosy here. The principal object is to
find out whether or not it is hereditary
in America. l do not think it is. Most
of the children of lepers are good, sound
and healthy. Americans, as you know,
fear the disease very much. l think
there is no fear of the disease becOm-
ing common. There is no doubt
but that it is contagious, but
not very. Intimate contact is
the disease. When the skin is whole
there is very little danger, but it may
be caught when the skin is cut or
scutfed. / do not think there are many
cases in st. Paul. 1t is quite difficult to
find them, as l only have the names of
the parties who have it and who were
known to have come to America. |
rather think there are more in Dakota
than in Minnesota. There is one case
in Minneapolis, that of an old man,
whose daughter is nurse for a we'll
known family in that city. There is
very little hope for the old man. The
gentleman who employs the girl came
here to ask if it was dangerous to have
the girl come in contact with the chill
dcen. Though she
VISITS HER FATHER
once in while, there is no danger. In
Norway, or any place, a great many of
the cases are cured. The thing has
grown to a science and there are not so
very many incurableS. Now, for in
stance, this photograph is that of man
suffering from the tubercular form Of
the disease. He is past recovery"
The doctor exhibited the picture of a
man whose face was scarcely recOgniZa-
BILE. 1t was hideously blotched, and the
sight sickened one. The blOtcheS on
the IdCt ICSGIllUlGu lilC UidCh IIldGtGE
that often accumulateS on ears of corn
while on the stalk.
''This other photograph. continued
the doctor, ''shows a cured tubercular
face.'' This also was frightful. The
nose had fallen away and the mouth
was wide open. Both jaws had dropped
to the neck. "The muscles of the face
are paralyzed," said the doctor, s'and
the fellow cannot close his mouth. His
eyes, you will observe, have fallen
away and he is totally blind. Here is
another photograph of a pair of hands
after the nerves have become affected.
The fingers have dropped off, though
the slumpS are tolerably we'll pre-
served. The stumps, however, are
quite senseleSs. He could cut or stick
them to the bone and he would never
feel it. He could burn them off, like
wise his feet, and experience no feel
ing. That is known as the aH8sthetic
form. These cases are cured. This
prevails chiefly among the peasants in
Norway. and is not caused by fish diet,
as stated. The disease is found almost
anywhere along the coast and is inn
ported principally by leprous negroes.
There is nothing that will cause the
disease to attack one, except close con-
tact with leper. AS yet have found
none in st. Paul and may not for week
or So."