, 1888-09-21
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, LepRosy.
The Only Hope of the Native Race-The
Lepers' Colony.

Lepers' Colony.
1t is now more than half a century
since leprosy was introduced into the
Hawaiian Islands. 1t would be quite
impossible to point with certainty to the
original case, but it is generally under
stood that the seed of the dreadful NAL
ady came from Asia, and came in the
person Ga an ill fated foreigner. He may
or may not have been aware of the in
calculable injury he was about to infict
upon a nation that had been, until the
arrival of Capt. Cook, in 1890, almost
entirely free from the numerous conta-
gious diseases that prevail among civil
lied communities; but the life he led in
Hawaii was such as to speedily commu-
nicate this mortal disease, and it was not
long before its unmistakable symptoms
were developing in every quarter of the
kingdom. Leprosy develops slowly: one
may be q leper for months or even years
before the symptoms of the disease be-
gin to discover themselves and at last
become externally evident. Then they
are unmistakable; but by this time great
mischief may nave been done, and done
i~nnocently enough, perhaps; for the
leper will have but recently become con-
scious of his state. Thus leprosy spread
AAcb5 VIC hAhStoAAs shlNl ClACdb W olIll
an alarming degree that it became neces-
sary to take public action in the matter.
The disease is acknowledged by the
medical world to be incurable. 1t has
ever been so considered; and as yet,
though a thousand experiments have been
tried, the most hopeful of the scientists
nave abandoned the field in despair. The
Mosaic law was explicit in regard to the
treatment of those afflicted by ~leprosy:
they were to be set apart, without the
gates, and to walk alone, CRYING, I'm
cleanl unclean!' Their garments were
to he burned, their houses cleansed, and
all direct communication between the
clean and the unclean was expressly pro-
hibited. In like manner, segregation
was considered to be the only hope of the
Hawaiian race. y suitable spot was
sought to which the lepers might be re-
moved, where they might be tenderly
cared for and jealousy guarded, and
there they were to end their miserable
days. The prospect of life Punishment
alarmed the natives. both the sick ana
the hale; they were not, and they still
are not, afraid of the disease. They are
a most aifectionate people: they love
their friends with II love passing the love
of woman; moreover. they are fearless
OF death-at heart they are fatalists.
When the health agent of the govern.
ment went forth in search of the afflicted,
hoping to gather them together, house
them, feed them and ciothe them at tho
government expense, he found great diff
hcultv in securing amy of them. At the
approach of this itutAIh officer the leDers
world be secreJed by friends, who were
wiling to brave possible Contagion rather
than part with those SO dear to them.
Sometimes the unfortunates were sur
lrlSeu anG given in,o the hands of the
police, who were to have charge of them
until they could be shipped to the new
settlement. Eye witnesses of the heart
rending scenes that followed these cap
lures will not soon forget the agony Of
the final partings. Terrible as was the
emergency, the voice of the government
could justly say, with Hamlet:
Unjust be cruel only to be kind.
1t was a question of saving the remnant
of the narion at the price of the hopeless
few. The little lowland at our feet was
found TO be, by all odds, the most desir-
able locality in the whole group for d
settlement such as was proposed.
There are few white people on the
Island of Molokai. This lowland was
seldom, perhaps never, visited; certainly,
there was no necessity of its being visited
by those who were not concerned in the
welfare of h natives. There was ample
s%ustenance both on land and sea; fishers
were living among the foam crested
rocks; the husbandman would find an
immediate market for his produce, and
he was alike fearless and Hospitality dis
posed. Indeed, all things considered, no
better refuge for the leper could be
found; and SO the little lowland under
the great windward cliff of Molokai was
speedily and permanently secured. Trans
portation began Immediately, and for
twenty years it has continued; it has
continued in spite Of the pitiful protesta-
tons of friends and relations, and in
spite of the first instinct of humanity
the natural appeal of the sympathetic.
1t has continued-it must continue until
the last vestige of leprosy has disappeared
from the kingdom Lepers of
Molokai."