New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-16
ISoLATING THE LEPERS.
TWO TAKEN TO NORTH BROTHER ISLAND.

~.
ADOPTION OF THIS COURSE
President Wilson, Of the Health Board, yes
,orsay ordered the removal Of Ong Now Toy and
Tsanr Ding, tho leprous Cinnamon, from their
Zines in Mott-st.' 70 North Brother Island His
decision was formed on Friday when he received
trom DR. Cyrus Edison, Chief Inspector of Con-
,arious Diseases, the following report:
al have the honor to report that the two lcprous
Cinnamon admitted 10 Charity Hospital on the
10th inst, on the. recommendation of this De
,artment have been discharged, and are now at
liberty in the city.
sThe action now necessary for the Board OF
Health to take in these premises turns upon the
coptagiousness of leprosy. That the disease is
Contagious, under certain circumstances. numerous
competent medical observers assert. Among these Is
,bs dscoverer of the bacillus leprae the cause OF
,be disease DIR. r. Armour Hansen. Other med
;cal men Of the highest standing coinciding WIN
DR. Hansen in his opinion are Sir moreh Mac
tenyie Dr. Van Dyke Carter, Dr. Henry w.
p6ard DR. p A. Morrow, DR. y. c. Mcnamara
mr. Hirsh. DR.. Munro. DR.. W. Hilcbrand ana III
Hills.
arbe conditions favorable TO the spread OIL
,onrosv are those existing at present in the So
caIled Chinese Quarter in this city. Here we
have n pOpuacc consisting of people who arc ao-
ni,,ed. by all authorities, to be susceptible 10
the disease among whom it is prevalent w
whom many claim il has been introduced inVo
countries previously free from leprosy. as, LOT eA-
annie. the Sandwich Islands and Australia Inc
habits Of life as practised by the Chinese IN Oiler
socaIed quarter are such as tend 10 laNor ',,e
snrsad Of any disease of contagious nature III
&c NOT Necessary, in my opinion, TO corsiucI 'he
orti-contaeionist theory of leprosy. This theory
ID Ixrc pQb
~ Norway. Nelson of Canada. and Others III
G w Allen. in his Introductory note to the well
knorn naper bv DR.. Mackenzie, entitled Inc
Dreadful Revival of Leprosy,' very apty says III
rpard TO the opinion of the anti-contagionists' as
follows:
Honest opinion is always to be respected, out
how mon of recognized ability in the pro-
fcon who are fully cOgDzant of the history oil the
disease can believe il safe or wise 10 AUNT epeis
into the country and harbor them here. Is
beyond my comprehension
Personally. | have given my own opinion In
.,oord 10 the contagion of leprosy, in
,ecent PAPER. / believe leprosy TO be contagious
yrder certain conditions. These conditions, as
have before stated in my opinion exist in this CITY
in the Chinese quarter Between the honest
differences Of opinion that exist upon the subject
- oontaoion. large element Of doubt, TO say the
laaSf l.
no cyen to tie people, to conserve public hath.
~ therefore respectfully recommend that the
,,ro leners in question he taken in charge by this
nenartuent until they can be properly cared for
n, come other means. ] also respectfully recon-
werd that steps be taken at once TO bring the
u.,,er Of the care OF leprosy before the United
s,a,as authorities to the end that National laza-
,s,to on the Atlantic coast be established where
lcorous eases can be isolated.
Mr. Wilson also had consulted with Dr. Piifard.
The consulting dermatologiSt of the Health Depart
ment lie arranged 70 have a hospital tent, with
raised board floor, set up at point on North
+, Rrother Island well removed from the smallpox
hOsusASA and from the bavilions in which su1er-
ers iiom measles, scarlet fever, diphtherla ana
typhoid fever are cared for. Separate cooking
utensils, dishes and other things necessary for the
daily life of the TWO lepers were provided, and
Instructions were given TO have an orderly detailed
expressly 10 watch and care for them. Ong Now
Tow ,yoald have been taken 10 the tent Fri
day, Mr. Wilson said, but it was thought better
to wait until Isang Dining also was IN custody ana
not make two bites VI a cherry.
Sanitary policemen guarded the lepers In their
homes until nearly noon ytfterday, when Sanl-
tary Inspectors Blauvelt and Doty Went Win CABS
and other policemen 10 take the TWO Cinnamon
away Tsang Dhing was with half dozen of his
friends on the second moor OF the house No. 81
Nott-st and he said ne Wl1h i 70 stay theLe; he
iniversity-placc., who was his physician he said
On the back of the card written: This is
10 certify that Tsang Dining is under my care,
August 49, Dhing's friends said they had hired
ahwyer 10 prevent him from being carried away.
Their talk, Ding's objections, and the note OF
Dr. hi Noise had no apparent effect on
he sanitary officers who bundled the leper into
cab and went away with him. OnS Nov Toy
was with his cousin" and another friend on the
secopd floor Of the rear house No. "a Modest.
The cousin" was smoking opium 10y also pr'-
tested against his removal ana showed cari OF
Dr. J. Julio IIenna, Of No l2o East lwehty-
1fth-st bnt he yielded 70 the persuasion OF the
policemen, and went into tie cao' .t e.oo,,boo+
The Cinnamon were taken to the steamboat rS,
Franklin Edison at SiXteent-st. and Inc East
River and it carried them to North Br0thcr Island
about D. ID. Mr.. Wilson ana Ut I1usgH VIII
olODg TO see that the lepeS "''c ''"u' '0'"
Portable Ill,
Tie two Cinnamon probably will not be abe abe
10 escape from North Brother Island, as the Heaui
Department boat is the only oIy hin MI lion pS1nG
the other Chinese leper who is III Charity Hospl"I
may be moved 10 North Brother Island also, -, II
Is not believed that the courts VIII IhteiiciS |1;n
the plans OF the Health Board To Keep the In it
men withdrawn from public gaze lsahg DlHs
friends went TO the law Office OF IOofael y
Hamilton at No 100 Broadway, YESTERDAY, ih'c i
Ing 10 have some appeal madc 10 the courts ~
The lawyers were away and their clerk sald t1lCS
would not be i'm town before tomorrow III
Health Board probably viii take "T nnyt
upon DR.. EdsOn'S Recommendation az .'lc -, ron
regular meeting and ask the National GONeIHHch
10 provide laZarctto for icpeTs somewhere VI
the Atlantic coast, but such meeting may ~
be held FOR two weeks, for want OF Pioii "ii y
as President MacLean, OF the Police Boaru'
IN Europe. or on his way there, and COMMISSIONS
Bryant, at last accounts, was said 10 DE Oh IN
way TO the Maine woods and was not cNpec'e" U
return for fortnight 49, -,
Mr.. Wilson said yesterday that the It"lC'
Board would take care Of the epers Only i"
long was necessary TO prevent them from %oh'
Ct large in the city