The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-09-14
SPREAD OF LEPROSY.
Efforts Made to Check tho Loathsom
Disease in Europe and America.

Disease In Europe and America.
Since the death of Father Damien
OF leprosy at the leper colony in the
Sandwich Islands public attention has
been especially drawn to this loath-
some disease, both in Europe and
America. In England the Prince of
Wales has popularized a movement for
u memorial to the martyr who gave up
his life so unselfshly to succor his un-
fortunate fellow-creatures, but the
Prince has done more than this. He
has unearthed leper in London
among the butchers stalls, and he
has directed scientific inquiry to the
number of lepers in England and the
possibility of the spread of the disease
in the United Kingdom. Almost CO.
incident with this action was a meet
ing of the New York Academy of
Medicine, at which leprosy, its origin,
causes. spread, and the danger that
may lurk in it for this country were
elaborately discussed. AS is to be
expected when doctors get together
for pow-pow, there was some diff
ference of opinion upon several Of
these points.
All candidly acknowledged that the
origin of the disease is unknown be-
yond the presence of bacillus, as in
tuberculosis; but whether this bacillus
produces the disease or is an incident
of its progress is not clear. All agreed
that the disease is contagious, but there
was difference as to whether or not
the bacillus lives in and can be COM
municated through soil, water and air.
There was also controversy concerning
the spread OF the disease in this coun-
try, some claiming that 1t had largely
increased of late. while others held
stoutly that there were not as many
cases now as there had been. The
alarming feature of the discussion was
the admission that quite a number OF
cases had been noted in the vicinity Of
Charleston, New Orleans and San
Francisco. while recently the re-
voting disease had been unearthed
in Utah, and it was not an
unusual occurrence for three
or four lepcrs to make their appear
ance annually in New York hospitals.
1t was conceded that science was ut
terly helpless in the presence of this
foul scourge. 1t is known that it is
contagious. and this comprises about
all that is known about it.
The Academy of Medicine conclud-
ed, as it did ten years ago without
practical result, that the National Gov
ernment should take steps while there
was time to stamp out the disease,
and this can be done only by segregat-
ing the lepers. The dreadful fate of
the Sandwich Islanders was cited.
Leprosy is of comparatively recent
origin in those islands, but owing to
belief that it was not contagious no
steps were taken to check it. To-day
there are 11,000. lepers at Morlachi,
and from five to, ten per cent of the
native population is thought to be In
oculated with the disease, while many
foreigners have become impregnated.
Like series OF fires bursting out in
uihOi opOoo, II OhSh VI thCu 10
checked before 1t makes any sensible
inroads great confagratiOn can be
averted, but If they are allowed to get
headway and united with each other in
their destructive work, no subsequent
efforts for their extintion will avail
until there is no fuel for them to feed
upon. If the lepers said to be in diff
ferent parts OF the Union to the mum.
ber of 250 or more are segregated from
the healthy inhabitants by an authority
with the extensive jurisdiction OF the
National Government 1t would be COM
paratively easy to expel the disease
from the country; but If each OF the
unfortunates Is allowed to form CEN
ter Of contagion. or there is no concert
OF action in its suppression. the fate OF
the Americans hundred or even fifty
years hence might be similar to that
of the Sandwich Islanders. Congress
should be invoked to give early alton
tion to the matter. -Baltimore Ameri.
esa.