Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1889-09-28
LspRosY IN AMERICA.
II. II Likely to Spread Extensively 'H'
United States.

Isl HI AIANI ~
United States.
Tho hsroio life and death OF Father
Damien have recently called the pam,
ful attention OF the whole ciVl'I@ou
world to the horrible disease oil leproSS'
and now the subject is presented anew
but in a scientific light, by DIR. frlnce
A Morrow in m address before the
| Academy of Medicine OF ms cl'y' sn
ing the results of his observations IN
Mexico and the Sandwich Stands
Leprosy is commonly looked on as oil
historical interest almost wholly, or AZ
least, as a disease practically extinct SO
far as civilized countries are %concerneai
and vet it is still a living reality IN one-
fourth of the globe, including this couh-
try, in which it is slowly gaining ground
During tho last winter DR., Morrow VS.
tied two leprous centers in the lecllo
river district of Louisiana, at 81 Mar
tinsville and at Bayou Laiourche' anu
learned of the existence OF scattering
cases along tho line OF the Southern
Pacific railroad. He also saw cases III
the San Pablo hospital OF Mexico
and in the streets Of the city. lhere
were six in the ~pesthouses OF San iran
cisco, and he received reports OF TWEEN
tv in all in California. In the sand
witch islands, though leprosy is Of com
paratiyely recent introduction only,
there are |, 100 lepers at MalokaL
The slow spread Of the disease in the
Sandwich Islands is referred to by DR..
Morrow as a warning for this country
For twenty years after the first case
was identified leprosy did not increase
fast enough to attract the attention Of
tine health authorities, and when at last
they began to understand the peril the
horrible malady had gained such head
way that they found it impossible to
arrest its progress even by the most
rigid system OF segregation; and since
then it has continued to spread until
now it threatens the ultimate eNtinc'
ton of the Hawaiian race.
The introduction of leprosy into our
own country is traced by DR.. Morrow
to four separate and distinct sources.
1t was carried into Louisiana by the
Acadians, into the Northwestern State:
by Sc%andinayians, along the Pacific
coast by Cinnamon, and omigrants from
the West Indies brought it to the south
ern Atlantic coast. Forty-two case
were recently reported at New Orleans
and one hundred at Key West, while nu
merous other concealed cases are sus
pected as existing in different parts o
the Union. DR.. Morrow therefore re
CARDS the extensive spread of leprosl
in this country as Il possibility strong
enough to require the adoption Of leg
i~slative measures for the isolation o
every leper and to prevent the immi
grafton from foreign countries OF thos,
who have in their systems the seeds o
the frightful and so far incurablo NAL
ady.
Contrary to the opinion of many for
eign physicians of eminenco he main
tains, from his personal observation o
leprosy in the Sandwich Islands, tina
there is 'the most abundant and con
elusive proof of It's eminent contagious
ness" If that is the case of course CIV
cry lcpor is dangerous. Nor is it SAT-
to assume that the suscopti. ility to lep
rosy is oXtinguished by civilization a
Dr. Morrow says, the spread of lepros.
in the Sandwich Islands has been coin
cident with an advanced civilization o
the natives. N. Y. Star.