The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-04-13

tdVOraDLy known TO large number
of persons, having spent about four
months in visiting the various points
of interest in the islands, that his
statements will be likely to carry
with them more weight than is the
case with the opinions Of ordinary
tourists. The use Of gurjun oil is
something of which we purpose
speaking hereafter more fully.
DEAR Mr.. DAMON; My visit to the
leper settlement on Molokai has
given me great satisfaction. The
Board of Health kindly arranged for
me to stay a fortnight at the guest
house, so that L had ample oppor-
tunIty for sketching and observing
1t was a great surprise TO me to find
how apparently happy and coGtented
the lepers were in spite of the dis
ease. They almost always looked
cheerful aud ready to give me a
smiling greeting, whether | met
them riding or walking about the
place, or sitting chatting at home.
L was glad to find from those able to
Judge that the leprosy certainly takes
milder form in the island than it
took some years ago, and that gener-
ally speaking the lepers do not suffer
severe pain. l saw several bad cases
in the hospitals, but compared to
what l have recently seen in India,
there were few in proportion to the
population. This is [ suppose mainly
due to the excellent sanatOry az
engagements on the island. The cot
tages are we'll ventilated, the supply
of good water Is plentiful, and the
food, as far as | could Judge, excel |
lent. During my stay subsisted |
largely on the same meat and bis /
cults which were supplied to the !
lepers, as my visit was heightened |
Unexpectedly, and the supply of food 4.
[ had brought with me became ex-
hausted. l noticed thai even the |
numerous dogs about the place
looked we'll fed.
l was struck with the diligence Of
DR.. Swift, who seemed to be always
hard at work among his patients,
and to be quite absorbed in attend
ing to them. / attended two services
on Sunday, Protestant and Roman
Catholic, and in both cases there was
a large congregation and hearty
singing. l was particularly pleased
with the Bishop cottages erected for
girls, superintendent by the Fran
ciscan Sisters. They were kept in
beautiful order, and the girls looked
happy; they and the boys at Kala-
wac were very much delighted with
the magic lantern of scriptural views
which l had brought with me from
England. l think you are aware
hat one of my chief objects in visit
ng the leper settlements was to in
reduce to them the gurjun oil which
has proved itself SO valuable cure
n the Andaman Islands and in other
places. DIR. Swift was very kind in
my wishes about this
natter and the Sisters willingly con
ented to try the remedy on the girls
n their charge. While L was there
here was marked improve
nent in the patients who
sed it-voice, face, sleep, and
'eneral health being all notice
bly, better, but l feel that a good /
cal of pressure would have to
q put on lepers before they could -,
i've the oil a sufficiently lengthy
'ial to produce a cure. Two small
oses have to be taken daily and it
hOuld be rubbed all over the BODY -
)r two hours twice daily. YOn
now better than l how difficult if
Ill be to persuade Hawaiian lepers
} make this eXertion. If. however
lis can be done, l feel persuaded
lat a cure will be the result. / am
ssured by Sir Donald Stuart date N
overnor of the Andaman Islands)
lat every one of his convict lepers
lthOut exception was cured by the
lrjun oil treatment, though many 7
lses were far advanced and of sew
al years standing. l shall indeed
D thankful if the same results can
> attained in Hawaii. There IS a ~
rye supply of oil at the settlement )
ld more Is to arrive shortly. The
lly fear is that it Will not be stead
y and sufficiently applied. WouId
be possible for the matter to be
ken up by the authorities?
l left Molokai in the LikeHke. the
N NLANb Ntl4 L1tNl lOI IDG IlrSt time ~
Q friends of the lepers at Homo
lu to spend few hours with the
tterers, and l was deeply inter
ted in the excursion. l had preyi- Is
sly witnessed the heart BREAKING -
rtlng of those who were leavinos
cir homes and families for MoI67
Il, and it must have been an nm
eakable delight to find that the i
lks were not broken forever. and
at segregation at the settlement
q not mean absolute separation for
e. L shall never forget the scene
was certainly beautiful thought III
plan this excursion, and il mnst II
AXE permanent change in tbo
ellngs of dread with which a life
Alolokai is regarded.
my visit has left mo
lnkful and surprised at the com
ratlve prosperity and contentment
the Iopers, and | feel that the
Gates credit is due to those who
We brought matters to their pres
state. L must not close without
ing how interested | was in nv
ercourse with Father Damien and
associates, and how impressed | -
S with the work he has been effect Sc
at the cost of so much suffering
S