The record-union., 1891-10-16
WHAT Is OUR DANGER FROM
IEPROSYs

A writer in the Scientific AmeYScan is
treating in a series of articles of the
danger of the spread of leprosy. He
points out that Agnes Lambert, in her
collection of literature of the subject, ar
rives at the truth that there is no evil
dence of a regof leprosy having ever
been effected. The question of cure is,
therefore, still an open one with the sci
entific world; and it is an open question
also whether leprosy is communicable,
or contagious, or hereditary; and also
whether it is due to insufficient or bad
food, to climate, to diet, or to all COM
bined.
But concerning the rapid spread of lep-
rosy there is no doubt. That this has
been due in large part in the last twenty
five years to the mistake of England is
certain. Misled by the Royal College of
Physicians of London, who declared lep-
rosy to be not contagious, and that lazar-
houses and isolation were not necessary,
Great Britain threw open her leper-
houses throughout all her domains in
1867, and the result has been fearful. for
nearly all the Americas followed the de-
piorable example.
They know better now, and the fate of
Damien and his followers, of Keauu and
others, have convinced the world that the
Royal College of Physicians blundered
sadly. Leprosy now thrives in arctic
and torrid regions, and is barred out by
no climatic conditions. So, too, it pros
pers where the people are cleanly as well
as where dirt and filth abound, and is
active as well among vegetarians as
among the eaters Of pork. So that great
many climatic and dietetic reasons ad-
vanced to account for the beginnings and
propagation of leprosy have been shelyed.
The author Of the paper referred to
quotes DR.. Wynne Of the Rubben Island
leper farm to show that pigeons on the
farm, turkeys and domestic animals
suffer from the disease, and even mice
In the leper wards have it. These
eating food handled by the lepers. Now,
on the assumption of the truth and re-
liability of this authority being un-
doubted, we discover grave cause for
concern among the people of the United
States. If fear of trichinosisleads us to re-
fuse pork without proof of its freedom
from the seeds of disease, what care shall
we not exercise concerning food and
articles, handled by people among whom
leprosy more obtains than any others
who live in our country?
1t isttrue, as the writer suggests, that
we have for several decades received
tropical fruit from countries where the
scourge prevails, and that we have not
knownsof i'll result in consequence; buta
asthe essayist replies to himself, this dis
ease may lurk in the system for many
years before manifesting itself. There
are cases where wife has lived for ten
years with leprous husband before any
indication of the taint was observable in
her. Children of leprous parents have
almost reached maturity before the terri
bic afliiction became apparent. Father
Damien was for years with the lepers be-
fore he found that he was doomed. He
spilled scalding water on his foot and felt
no pain, and'thennirst knew that leprosy
had fastened upon- him.
The essayist declares, and with empha-
sis that leaves no doubt of his sincerity,
that not one physician in a thousand is
able to detect leprosy in its early stages,
and not one in ten of that small number
knows what to do with a.leper when one
is discovered. To-day the medical men
of New York dispute whether leprous
Cinnamon shall be isolated or allowed TO
roam at will. In India railway COM
pany has leper selling tickets at one OF
its termini, and at another station a leper,
so far gone that he has to wear gloves,
cooks the food at the passenger eating
station. Yet, in towns between these
stations the authorities require lepers to
be sequestered and guarded. In Jamaica
one doctor sends lepers to the lepers'
hospital at Spanbhtown, while magis-
trate in the same town permits, under
medical authority, a leprous woman to
sell nuts and fruits to children on the
highway.
Now, asks the essayist, since we con-
sumo annually tobacco and fruits from
the tropics to the tune of So, 100000, and
as most of these come from countries
where leprosy prevails, what is our dan