The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-04-26
Calada's LaZarGtt8s.
The Terrible Disease. Leprosy,
Spreading I'm Certain P0r-
tions or New Brunswick.
Interesting Description OF the
Lazaretto and the Condition
OF the Inmates.


The Dominion government have
asked parliament TO make an increase
in the appropriation annually made
for the maintenance OF the iazarettes
at Tracadie, N. g., where all the lep-
rous cases known to the government
are being cared Tor. The official re-
port from the officer in charge. which
has just been presented to parlia.
ment, reads as follows: There are
now In the institution twenty persons
suffering from the dread disease, lep-
rosy, nine males and eleven females.
Since my last report Ave new cases
were admitted, one being from Cape
Breton, none from Tracadia thereto
fore so prolific in new eases), but four
from the adjoining parishes OF Cara.
quet and ShippaRan, Three inmates
died during the year. ] am pleased to
again report that the general health
OF the patients continued good, and
there was observable but little of the
acute suffering peculiar to the advanc-
cd stages OF the malady. Showing the
primary symptoms of the disease were
Eve persons, the rest wers more or less
advanced, but OF the latssr not one Is
altogether confined TO bed. The man
dismissed some years ago, and the
girl set free last year, continuein good
health, and have to report that on
the occasion OF my last visit / re-
leased patient wko had also been ad-
mitted when young and on the appear.
ance OF the first symptoms oil the dis
ease. Although apparently free from
the maledy, do not regard these cases
as permanently cured, and shall there
fore hold them under close observa.
ton i'm the future. A visitor from the
happier world of health to our lepers
is first impressed with the thought
that their life is indeed "a funeral
march to the grave overawed as he
must be Dy the serenity depicted on
those poor faces. Yet this calmness
is but the mute product OF a happy
change, for when In former years the
institution was i'm the charge OF
board of health its inmates were an
excitable and distsustful body, living
without law or order, and sleeping on
rude wooden conches, infested with
vermin and scantily supplied with
filthy coverings. Iron bedsteads, with
clean, comfortable bedding and bed.
clothes have since then been substi-
tuted, the hours OF rising and retiring
are regulated, o complete separation
OF the sexes is rigidly maintained, @
watchful discipline extorted, and
90 the patients, feeling there is an
assured and kindly help near by, are
possessed of q contented mind and
sustained in their hours OF sadness by
those consultations charity and relig.
ion alone can give. No attempt Is
ever made to leave the Lazaretto
grounds without permission. One
refractory individual did, 1t % true,
escape some years ago TO the United
States, but he has recently returned
and assures us that he will shortly
seek readmission TO the hospital. As
illustrating the way many appreciate
removal TO their new home. I may
state that the man McKinnon, adj,
mitted from Cape Breton last summer,
expressed regret that he had not come
sooner. All this Is accomplished,
although the Lazaretto is an anti.
quated structure, with no modern
-conveniences, for. the sisters, having
q happy faculty oil making the
most OF their surroundings, rem
der the poor patients surprisingly
comfortable. OF late lsprosy has
been dying out in Tracadia; bus find.
ing cases outcropping in the neighbor.
ing district j made q special tour OF
investigation and siound q growing
focus OF the disease between Caraquet
and Skippegan, tracing also from this
center styeral cases to other settle
ments, which In turn will, il overlook
ed, bscome new foci of the disease.
Two other cases were found In q back
woods settlement near Tracadia, pro-
badly derived from the latter. As
leprosy in every country spreads from
centers, steps should be taken to
stamp it out OF theae districts. On
one Of the yisits referred to above the
chaplain OF the Lazaretto kindly
accompanied me. but Il was made so
alarmingly unpleasant Cor both OF MS
that we hoped the government would
secure the passage OF an act author.
izing the inspecting physicians TO
enter the houses Of the suspected
persons for the p,irposed exam
ination, and, il such be found
diseased, warn their reighbors,
and nc the same time tRkegentle steps
towards segregation, All enforce.
ments oh the act TO be under the di.
,rsction OF the department.. IL such
an act were on the statute book it.
would prevent violent resistance to
the discharge OF q duty owed both TO
the living and Rsnerations to come,
In view, too, OF the way this disease
is forcing itself on the attention of the
world, it's seeming increase In the Unit.
ed States and Canada, and the grow.
ing desire of ths people living in affect-
ed districts, both here and I'm Cape
Breton, to have it carefully watched,
! beg leave, most respectfully, to re-
conimend TO the department theearly
enactment OF such q measure. As
stated above, ieprosy Is dying out in
Tracadle, 50 long it's hiding place; and,
Ii the legal obstacle To it's prompt seq
regation elsewhere were removed. Il
would soon disappear forever from
our shore"
New Orleans Rapidly BeoonInG
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