The Hawaiian gazette., 1893-08-01

Through the courtesy Of DIR. Geo.
Trousseau the following letters have
been handed the ADVERTISER for pub
LEGATION The letter dated July 18th,
is the letter which accompanied DIR.
Trousseau's resignation to the board
of health as a member Of the board
of examiners Of leprosy. 1t contains
the reasons given by him for bis
resignation at the time it was pre-
scented. The second letter, dated
July 22d, was received at this office
last Sunday evening and is supple
mental to the first letter. 1t contains
the conclusions of the Indian leprosy
commission, and forms the basis of
DR.. Trousseau's first letter The fol
lowing IS the text of both letters:-
July %, 1898.
MR.. EDITOR - After reading your
editorial in this mornings ADvER-
User, / agree with you, and give YOU
full authority to publish my private
letter to Hon. w. o. Smith, president
"a board of health In the mean
% s:. w. not wish to be mfsunder-
I I!Llle ~ w ,,,js,r erpreted, and will ask
on TO % nnbIisit as well the present
communication.
Conclusions of the Indianl Lepfosy
l,gk
The following conclusions are based
upon the observations and arguments
contained in the complete report Of
$50 pages:
/. Leprosy is a disease sui generis;
it is not form of syphilis or tubercu-
losis, but has striking astrological
analOgies with the latter tuberculosis
or consumption).
,. Leprosy is not diffused by heredi-
tary transmission, and for this reason,
and the established amount Of sterility
among lepers, the disease has a natu-
raj tendency to die out.
8. Though in a scientific classified
ion of diseases, leprOsy must be re-
garded as contagious and also inocu-
liable. vet the extent to which it is |
propagateI by these means is exceed |
ingly small.
1. Leprosy is not directly originated |
by the use Of any particular article Of |
food, nor by any climate or teliuric con- |
ditiOns, nor by insanitary surround |
ings; neither does it peculiarly affect |
any race or caste.
). Leprosy is indirectly influenced /
oy fnsanitary surroundings, such as
poverty, bad food, or deficient drain
age or ventilation, for these, by caus
ing predispositiOn increase the sus-
of the individual to the
disease.
8. Leprosy, in the great majority of
cases, originates de novO, that is, from
a sequence or concurrence of causes
and conditions, dealt with in the re-
mort and which are related to each
other in ways at present imperfectly
known.
In conclusion page 3s9) the COM
missioners believe, from the consider
atoms and arguments adduced in the
foregoing report, that neither compul-
sorry nor voluntary segregation would
effectually stamp out the disease, or
even markedly diminish the leper
page 3S5. Complete seq
regation has never yet been possible.
Both in the Sandwich islands and in
Norway it has failed}. 1t can only be
hoped that by means Of improved
sanitation and good dietic conditions
a diminutiOn of leprosy will result.
The commission agree with most au-
thorities in believing that the decline
of Ieprosy in Europe has been due
to improved hygienic hab-
its and surroundings and increased
material prosperity.
Now, sir, my opinions are in abso-
lutte conformity with these statements.
In my letter (private) to Hon. w. o.
Smith l say neither more or less, and
say exactly what | mean. You can
now follow up with the publication of
said letter of July 18th, 1898.
Yours truly,
q. TRoUssEAU.