The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-10-26
A CONSUL AMoNG oUroAsrs.
an kmsrican Investigating the Lapers
OF Maraca!bo Island
From the PallIdelDhia Taoufrer.

FROM the PaIlIdelDhio Iaouirer.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 19.-The state depart
ment Is In receipt of some interesting and
very important information regarding the
outcast community OF the island, near
Marac aibo, where for years the Venezuelan
government has Guaranteed aud naia-
tanned a colony of lepers Tne information
Is the nrst authentic news from the famous
island Tor many Years and comes IN the
shape OF a communication from E Fl.
fIunacher, the United States consul He
mas sent the department sixty photographs
| OF lepers of all ages and
representing al stages of the disease.
Mr.. Plumacher has been making study of
the lepers, and in order to bring the matter
rorclbly to the attention of the home gov
eminent be induced Mexican photographer
TO go over the island with him, and the pict-
ures are the result of that trip. In the case
OF one. Abraham Fernendez, who has been
affected nine years, the only visible signs
are tawny spots on the forehead and too
many wrinkles for his 30 years. Alfonso
bernal is of the same age, hut he has been a
leper twenty-four years. He has lost his
eyes. His senses of smell and Of taste are
gone. He is stone deaf and his fingers and
toes have dropped off. The complete descrip-
ton OF MS condition is too horrible to tel.
SAD AND GRorEsoUE.
In his letter Consul Plumacher saws:
1t was truly a sad sight to see deformed
mutilated trunks, with scarcely vestiges of
extremities, seated before the camera: and
there was something pathetic in the almo t
universal request TO be supplied with pic :
ures of themselves, which could only be
constant reminders Of their hopeless Attic
lions. IN addition to the individual photo
graphs, various large groups were taken
with an effect both sad and grotesque
There IS one bright spot, however, in the
dark picture of misery, this being the devo-
tioa and self-abaegation diplayed by the
near relatives of many OF the sufferers. who.
although enjoying themselves the blessings
or health and strength, cAeerfully submit to
perpetual lmprison nent in order to minister
TO the wants Of their husbands, mothers and
other relatives"
MARRIAGE OF LEPERs.
The consul tells of strange discovery
made in this leper community. He writes
1t was at first a much mooted point as TO
whether marriages should be permitted
| among the patients. and. after lengthy in
vesigation and discussion, it was finally
determined that past experience warranted
the belief that such unto IS would prove I'M
fruitful, and consequently various we'd
years the theory of sterility was
not contradicted by experience and
seemed about to be definitely set
tied, when two births occurred on the
island, the parents in each case being lepers
1t has always been well understood that a
union between a sound and a diseased per-
son would be liable to result in the propa-
CATION Of diseased offspring, but. until the
occurrence of the births referred to. it was
believed that two undoubted lepers could
not procreate, and in these two exceptional
cases l would be inclined to ask whether a
mistake may not have been made in
the diagnosis Of one or the other of the
parents, confounding with true leprosy
some other physical faint. which, though
similar In appearance, may be different in
kind. Be that as it may, neither one Of the
two children has as yet shown symptoms of
the disease, and In March OF last year one of
them, who had reached the aga of IA wears,
having passed his whole life on the island
with his leprcui parents, was allowed to
return to society, after having been for
mally pronounced clean by a board of COM
petent '<perts.
TY1ES OF THE AWFUL DISEASE.
The consul has inve tigated the charact ar
of the disease with considerable care, and
has arrived at some interesting concluSio IS.
especially as regards the question of con-
tagion. He SAYS: "Ihe disease assumes
various phases, the most common type be-
ing the tuberculous, manifested in distorted
features, enormous pendent ears and lips
and an abundance of exaggerated wrinkles
/ have seen children of both sexes, of IL to
IA years of age, with the features and bear
ing of octogennrians, and some of the sad
de5t cases are of this class. As the disease
progresses the extremities are attacked and
slough off, the body becomes scely, and at
times. covered with ulcers, and the facul-
ties of sight and hearing are frequently
entirely DESTROYED.
"rhere has been much difference of opin-
ion as to whether or not the disease is con-
tagious, and, although the great majority
of laymen who have not specially studied
the subject believe, no doubt, that it is a
true contagious disease, yet 1 am inclined to
believe that the weight of medical opinion
at least IN this country, is opposed to that
t leory.
WHY PHYSICIANS DIFFER.
Sound wives have been living with dis
eased husbands, some of whom have arrived
at the last aud most loathsome stages OF the
malady. Daughters have ministered to
their affi cted mothers for years, and at the
death of the latter have returned to the
world, where they are TODAY healthy moth
ers Of healthy families; aud the entire his
| tory of the lazaretto for more than fifty
of the disease. The reason, | fancy, why
| physicians here sometimes differ on
| this point is that there are two
| theories respecting the origin of
leprosy, one Of which-the parasiticaI
| or microbian theory-if clearly estab-
lished, would. no doubt. Indicate contagi-
Gus qualities. and its supporters. in order to
be consistent, must go the whole length.
Referring to the possibility of error in
the diagnosis OF leprosy, Consul Plumacher
says there is at present in the lazaretto a
patient who, after three years residence, is
still considered doubtful case He was
finally removed from the island aud placed
in one of the city hospitals. where, for sew
eral weeks. he was closely observed by a
board Of physicians, all treatment being
discontinued. No agreement of opinion
could be arrived at and he was again trans
ferred to the island, where he still remains
A BLACKMA1IING SCHEME.