Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-16
LEPROsY IN THE WEST INDIES.
Said to Be On the Increase in All Of the
Islands.

From the Panama Star and Herald.
There is not one Of the West Indian colonies
in which cases of leprosy are not to be found.
In some islands there are but few, and many
of which are isolated. In others there are a
sufficient number to necessitate the establish.
ment of special asylums. In no case, however,
has the disease been treated as contagious, and
in consequence, even where there are asylums,
the inmates have been allowed to roam about
pretty much as they pleased. There are midi
cations, however. that this condition of affairs
will not be allowed to continue much longer.
After being for long years a bone Of contention
between authorities" the truth has at last
been definitely ascertained that the terrible
disease is contagious as well as incurable. The
experience of Father Damien has demonstrated
this, and before the facts of that case, supple
mented as it is by others, all the speculations
of theorists go down like card houses. A move
ment is already beginning to be made in the
neighboring islands looking toward the
GENERALIZATION AND ISOLATION
Of all cases of this disease. And that the move
ment will rapidly mature we think there can
be no doubt, for even in the islands that pos
sess asylums those institutions are nothing but
nurseries for the disease since 1t is contagious.
The inmates rear poultry, pigs and goats and
cultivate provisions. all of which find their way
to the common markets! And institutions or
no institutions, in all but exceptional cases,
where the patients voluntarily isolate them
selves, the affected mingle freely with the peo-
pie. In Nevis. for instance, the writer has
seen lepers doing scullion's work for their
meals while in Trinidad he has seen them
served in a public bar room! While these
might be exceptional cases, they indicate the
great laxity that has existed under the policy
based on the nOn-contagion theory. In a word
infirmity and leprosy has been treated on equal
terms, with the result that year by year the
awful disease has been slowly but steadily
spreading. In the Island of st. kits, for ex-
ample, while in 1878 there were sixty cases re-
corded. in 1888 these had increased to over one
hundred The only means of dealing with the
disease and successfully
STAMPING IT OUT
is that adopted by the Sandwich Island gov
ernment-utter aud Incorporating isolation
OF course, sentiment is powerful factor in
mans relations with his kind, but this is one oil
those cases in which sentiment must be sub.
ordinated to an imperative general necessity.
Already, therefore, are the most advanced Sec
lions of the West Indian press taking up the
cry for segregation. One Of the leading West
Indian papers, the Demerara Argosy, gives the
keynote OF the new departure, and says there
is nothing Ito prevent the colonies joining to-
gether toward the common object. and looking
about for secluded and comfortable quarters
for the lepers, where the unfortunate people
would have pleasant home, amid agreeable
surrounding and occupation for such of them
as were able to work, in quantity enough to
keep them from wearying." The best place
that can be found for this purpose, answering
all the requirements, would be some one of the
many islets Of the British Virgin group. There
are half dozen available islands, aggregatinp
nearly 100 square miles in area and populated
| by about 6.000-the great majority Of whom,
however, live a. the principal island, Totola
1t would, therefore, be an easy matter to re.
move the solitary fishing village from some
one of the ''out islands to another, and lepeI
colony could be then founded on the lines Of
| that Of Molokai.