The Irish standard., 1890-02-15

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metO wait until / was older and knew
Isomething OF the dread disease witt
which [ would be brought III contact
| As time went on my purpose onlv be
Came more deep. seated. Two years ag'
began the training in Paris unde
Pasteur, and in the hospitals there
which was to give scientific acquaint
ance with the disease. This will enabl,
me to make investigation myself whit,
acting as nurse in the Hawaiian lepe
colony that may be Of importance Il
medical men in their efforts to CHECK
the progress of the disease, which ha
now got such foothold all over tht
globe. Many Of the doctors in Franc.
cultivate leper microbes, They showed
me their bacilli and explained all abou
them to me-, Chicken broth is grea
food for the leper bacilli. They in
crease wonderfully when placed in 1t
[ visited the various hospitals in Paris
too, and saw several lepers. Did yor
ever see a leper? On, they are terri.
BILE sight. Did you ever see trees Ill tht
country covered with white lichen
Well, their skin is just like those trees
l confined my attention to my specialt,
and to Pasteur's methods of discover.
ing the micro-organisms of various
diseases. was present at his expert
ments and those Of his assistants in IN
oculation. We had at the Hospital st
Louis several victims of leprosv, and
learned there a great deal about the
disease. or course, you understand
though, that l only go out as nurse
| Sister Rose Gertrude will be under
the direction and control of DR.. Sidney
Swift at Kalawao, and Will have per
sonal charge Of the leprosy hospital at
| that place. There are confined in this
| hospital some 80 victims of the terrible
disease. She will have neat cottage
| for her dwelling, and she expects to
live as comfortable as the circumstan-
| ces and surroundings will permit. She
is, as before stated, thoroughly familiar
with the character Of the microbes
which generate leprosy. On this point
she made the following statement to
the reporters: ''Before leaving home
was made present of a complete set of
Instruments for the study and cultiva-
tion of the leper bacilli, as is done in
Pasteur's Institute In Paris. [ am
going to cultivate the microbes and see
how they develop under different de-
grees Of temperature. l have micro
scope and delicate little syringes for the
purpose of inoculating frogs and rab
bits. make no pretentions to being
either q scientist or physician, under
stand, but 60 there merely In the hum.
BILE capacity of nurse. A leper mic
robe looks something like the animal
cu'9 you see through a microscope in a
drop of water. l intend 10 send the re-
suit Of my studies of the leper bacilli to
the Leprosy Society in London"
Are you not afraid of contracting
the disease 2" was asked.
'sThe will of God be done; am in
His hands, she reverently responded.
IF were positive that should be-
come leper it would not prevent nv
going. I have felt that have received
a call from above to do this work, and
with Gods blessing hope to accom-
plish some good in the field of labor ]
have chosen
"Was it not hard to part from your
friends and relatives at home, perhaps
forever ?''
Eyes. indeed; but we all have our
cross in this world. which we must bear
to the end. do not consider it any
sacrifice at all to go among the lepers.
but rather regard it as duty owe.'
This is the simple story of young
woman who, from the highest sense of
duty, and with strong conviction that
she has a divine call, has determined to
face the horrors of the most awful dis.
ease known to man in the interest of
religion and humanity. In these days
of religious fanaticlsm and bigotrY,
when all sorts of quacks calling them.
selves escaped" nuns and priests are
disgusting the community by their foul
language and miserable falsehoods. it
is cheering to witness the calm deter.
mination of Sister Gertrude and the
sublime purpose to which she has
pledged her life. She does not pose as
an escaped daughter of the Protest
ant church for the purpose of gain. but
goes quietly on her mission to 10 good
In the service OF Him who has called
her. Contrast her dellcacy and retire
ment with the unclean herd OF lectur-
ers who assaiI the church they have left,
and pander to the lowest and vilest pas
sions Of the ignorant bigots who sup.
port them. The honest people OF all
religious beliefs will wish her God
speed in her holy work and will ap-
lsplaud her heroism and devotion. They
followed poor Damien into the grave,
and how can the pious, the deyout and
lsancti fled little Dom infean Sister hone