The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-12
AkPRosY IN LoUIsrANA.
Allan, "a = Cases Ia tho state-A segregn-
ION Law to he Passed.

Nrw oR1,. ms. June IL. Tho Louisiana
| Ioois,ature VIII attempt to prevent the spread
| Of lenrosy by pro viding for the treatment OF
the disense and thu, isolation OF pc rsons affect.
ed with IL Leprosy l. as prevailed az Louisiana
! from the earliest French days. bein&' brought
| there from the West Indies and fsEm Nova
| Scotia
In 1850. under Gov. Carondelet. a lcp,r hos
| pital was established near New Orleans. on
what is now known as Metairic Ridge. then
"Terre aux Lepreux." "lepers' land and
the disease was practically got rid Of Sine ,
then IL has received no attention. although tho
matter has been brought frequently before
tho LEGISLATURE and the Board OF Health.
There are now $50 lelDers In the State and
about 80 in New Orleans.
The President OF tho Board OF Health several
years ago. visited tho lcper settlement in tho
Bayou Lafourche. but the lcpers fed before
him into the swamp, believing that it was the
purpose Of the authorities TO confne them
in some asylum or hospital. as It is pro-
posed to do to-day. A few years after
ward complaints were made that the lepers
were sending their children TO the public
schools in Lafourche. whore healthy children
were sent, and the parents OF the latter made
a vigorous protest against this The result
has been the segregation OF the Lafourcho
lcpers. They have their own stores. and even
tnelr own IatnOlC priest, an ltallan.'tu lcteu
with the disease like them selves.
In 1886 panic was created IN the town OF
ST. Martnsvic in the report OF an outbreak Of
leprosy there. Tho town was quarantincd and
on the request Of its loading inhabitants. the
Board Of Health sent q commission to eNami 10
the suspects. The examination showed that
the disease was much rarcr than was thought.
there being only five cases in the town. and ,
that the majority Of hose reported suffering
from it were afflicted with simple cutaneous
The results Of these investigations. however,
eprosy s 90
whsthsT i It was ,h CONTIGUOUS or merely
be hereditary. but the deaths of several per-
sons who had come here from Europe and who !
had ~ trace Of lepr"sy in their ancestry. rem
sonally contagious. The bulk of it. however. |
comes come by Inheritance mainly from Acadia or
The disease generally shows itself in I.ouisi- !
ana after puberty. sometime it skipss an en-
, nay always develop the disease oven late in |
il q. It always kills, and in its later stages
tie Vieti nna Is I'm OBJECT OF i0a,hne rs -
r ruI' lused last year demand for some re-
w S,.et llama aded not only by the aiy but %y
the medical profession. and during the discus
the @ orr rSs Of the
agitation is th. new law. which will undoubt-
eSd{ be passed Sed With ieprSsg sHa
conhnedf in mn iIs., tuition isolated and used
solely for the trea nent Of pe5sGns afflicted
with this disease. Az, one 1 tn th slHr9r
Ttsi Will &c d ie fn esa ty
and subject TO, fine anp iWpr r ,,,i ment'
near the Small -pox Hosp.tA :. ,,,
II the law shall be entorn> Nv ~ WI ar ppGdnnnny
day, when it nearly eradicate. ieprosy from
Louisiana. As. however. thr cisea "a. ma! may
show itself in late life in the chila rem or grand
children OF lepers who in thei- youth. may
appear to be lepers. it will not be VIII Oily got rid
II for many years. ,.,,
A large number Of lepers will ga ',y avail
themselves Of the accommodations ATTY no nos
oital offered them. but there will bs snnc
hardship. due to the fact that many Of These
Unfortunate people are married and ave
arge families. Tho lepers on lower Bay on
.afourche are likely to oppose the law. n, L.
living in u swamp. as they do. it will bu no eaA
natter to enforce it against them.