Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-05
LEPROSY In CANADA.

The Theory That it Was Imporfed By Sail.
ors Early in the Century Opposed b,
| Facts-Death After 20 Years of the
Dread Disease-The Only Protection the
Prompt IsoIatiou of Those Affected.
| The discussion Of that awful and unexpected
plainable disease. leprosy. says the Toronto
Mail. directs attention once more to its pres
I ence ina remote part of New Brunswick and
to its appearance from time to time in the
| picturesque island CT Cape Breton. How il
came to these places is mystery. The general
idea is that 1t is a disease peculiar to hot
climates, as for example India and Palestine.
But this theory is not really well founded. for
1t prevails in northern countries and is met
with too frequently in Norway, Sweden. and
even Iceland. From the popular verdict as to
location has come the belief that it was
brought to Canada early in the century by
sailors who had visited the Levant, and who
were either infected themselves or had carried
with them infected clothing. Be this historical
view OF the case true or not, certain IL Is that
the disease exists, and that fresh victims are
found at not infrequent intervals.
All the cases known to the officials are con-
lined in the Lazaretto at Tracadie, Gloucester
county. At the end of last year there were 10
cases have been discovered, so that there are
~ cases now. The reports respecting the care
the patients receive are exceedingly satisfac-
institution, and they have made 1t exceedingly
home-iike and comfortable. So good are the
hygienic influences of the place that there have
been several cures; but in every instance the
cure has only been effected where the disease
has been treated in its earliest stages
An Awful Family History.
One of the places affected was in the neigh
borhood Of Lake O'Law, Victoria county, ro-
mantle spot surrounded by lofty hills and occu-
pied by vigorous farming population. The
first victim was the wife of farmer named
Mccarthy. The husband has betrayed no symp-
toms of the disease, nor had anyone up to that
time in the vicinity. Yet the woman was dis
tinctly leper. She died after an illness of IL
years. There were eight children IN the family.
One became leper and died after 20
years y illness, leaving family of six.
took the disease, while the, remaining three,
with their children, are, to all appearances,
completely exempt from it. A man who at
disease, and the husband of daughter who
escaped took 1t. The latter patient however,
had slept before his marriage with his future
wife's WI brother. who turned out 10 be leprous
the exposure of the first victim to
conditions favorable to leprosy have
failed. Some miles from Lake o'Law
pie. These people knew nothing Of the Lake
OLaw cases until the disease appeared in their
midst; Nine cases were found among them. in
there was no relationship and very slight (if
any acquaintance. The origin of the disease
In these four families is not traceable. 1t may
have resulted from contagion, and it may havs
originated from conditions to which the sub
jects had been exposed. The three cases dis
covered week or SO ago also appear 10 have
been primary cases. for there Is no report that
the sufferers had contracted the disease by
communication with lepers.
The Cause of it q Great Mystery.
These instances are opposed to the theory
that the leprosy must necessarily have been
imported Accompanied by no indication that
the disease was transmitted, they point to the
possibility that it may be produced BY geograph-
ical, climatic. or dietetic peculiarities br.
McPhedrsn indeed quotes Virchow as declar-
ing that 1t is not unreasonable to suppose that
certain physical conditions of particular
countries serve as Geological influences In the
production of the primary disease, which,
when ONCE developed, is propagated by heredi.
tary predisposition. Yet, there Is admittedly
nothing in the northern part Of the Eastern
Provinces that can be pointed to as a condition
favorable to leprosy. The climate is healthy,
and the people live as well as those of other
parts of the country. A great mystery indeed
is this dreadful disease, and the only protection
against it that human knowledge suggests Is
the prompt isolation of those who fall be-
fore il.