The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-09-16
LEfAOSY, ITS SPREAD AND
cAUSATi0k.

aItcle III jlie bULLE1lNs on Ine SuU.
ject of leprosy, and having devoted
some attention to the causatioD and
increase of this dreadful and incur
able malady in our various colonies
and dependencies, as well AS in the
Pacific islands, shall be glad with
your PERM sion to offer to your
readers, iii The interest of the public
health and public safety, a brief
statement of my conclusions. The
helef that leprosy is contagious
seems TO have taken possession of q
certain section of the public mind,
and this fact, it is alleged, is clearly
demonstrated by the case of Father
Damien While not disposed to con-
test the possibility of this theory, l
will state that it is not in accordance
with the results of two inquiries OF
the Royal College of Physicians or
of my recent observation and investi-
cations. A medical resident, of 16
years standing in British Guiana,
told me that the disease was beng
extensively disseminated in some I'M
explained way, as the infected popu-
lation had greatly augmented OF late
| years; you encountered them in
churches, balls,and public meetings,
in the streets, aud in The market
place. Several leprous patients were
pointed out to me at the Colonial
Hospital, Georgetown, in close prox-
unity to the other inmates, aud |
may observe that only the worst
cases (and these belonging to poor
families) are segregated at the leper
hospitals. The Lazarettos at Cor
chum and Mahaica, British Guiana,
at Trinidad and Barbados, were full
to Overlooking; new wings were in
progress, or had recently been add
ed, and the demand considerably ex-
ceeded the present accommodation
in every instance. None, however,
appeared to be afraid of contagion,
and ] could not learn of a single
case so communicated.
After going through the varions
buildings of the Lepe" Asylum at
Mucurapo, Trinidad, and seeing the
unfortunate patients in every form
of this hideous and mutilative dis
ease, said to the lady superintend-
ent (of Dominican Sisters) who had
been in charge of the institution for
seventeen years, "Have you no fear
Of contagion?" ''Not the slightest"
she promptly replied. "And you and
your assistants do all that conscien-
tious nursing requires?' Certain
ly, and feel it joy and privilege to
be of service to these afflicted peo-
ple.' Has any case of infection
by contact to doctor, nurse, attend
ant, or laundress ever been reported
during your superintendent" "Not
one. This experience was con-
lirmed at the Lazaretto in Barbados,
Colombo, kalihi, Honolulu, and else
where, and some of the nurses and
attendants have been employed from
ten to thirty-two years. The result
Of my inquiries may be briefly sum
married. as follows:
|. That evidence from all author
tiles shows that eprosy is seriously
increasing in India, the Mauritius,
Hawaii, The West Indies, Russia and
South America.
2. The theory of contagion put
forward to account for this increase
is doubtful, and is denied by the
highest medical authorities, both at
home and abroad; and, if true,
would only account for an infnitesi-
NAL portion of such increase.
B. All authorities, including the
Lancet and the British Medical Jour
nal, admit that Ieprosy may be com
municated by incubation.
A. That The only method of moe
rllation extensively and increasingly
practlsed is by means of arm. to-arm
vaccination, ard that leprosy has
been distinctly traced to this source
by medical practitioners in the West
Indies, British Guiana, In Norway,
aud in the Sandwich Islands; by
medical superintendent of the Leper
Asylums, 10y distinguished authorities
as DR.. Tilbury Fox, Sir Erasmus
Wilson, DR.. Gavin Miiroy, Professor
w. T. Gardner, of Glasgow, DR..
John d., Hills, DR.. Edward Aiming,
Hamburg, DR.. Bourne Swift, Profes.
sor Montgomery, DR.. A. M. Brown,
DR.. Blanc, Professor of Dermatolo-
gy, University of New Orleans, DR..
Hall Blackwell, DR.. Bechtinger, and
others. Proofs of the spread of Lep-
rosy by vaccination in various coun.
tries have already been laid before
the Royal Vaccination Commission
now taking evidence in London.
These proofs will be found in the
Third Report of the proceedings.
Yours faithfully,
WILLIAM TEBB.
DeyOnshire Club. st. James. London.