The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-10
SANDWICH ISLANDS LEPERS.
With Certain Death Staring Them In the
Face They Are Apparently Happy.

With Certain Death Staring Them In the
Face They Are Apparently Happy.
1.-THE Island of Mololxai, which holds
the leper settlement in the Hawaiian
group, is about eighty miles from Hon
olulu,' said Z. c. Macfarlane who as
sisted the deposed queens representa-
tives in presenting her case at WASH
ington. There are about one thou
sand one hundred wretches who are
suffering in all the various stages of the
disease at the settlement and when
ever new case is discovered in any of
the other islands under the laws of the
country the victim is removed to
MolokaL There is no help for it.
The sufferers go to the island to as
sociate with others who are stricken
like themselves, and there they remain
until they die. This period depends
much upon the constitution of the IN
fortunate victim. In most cases it is
from four to seven years between the
appearance of the disease and death.
Sometimes it is longer, but not often.
Most of the victims now there are
native Hawaiians A few are Ameri-
cans The whites seem much less sus-
ceptible to the disease than the natives.
A visit to the settlement is full Of in
terest"
Mr.. Macfarlane said that he had WIS.,
tied the settlement at MololSai about a
year and half ago as one of commit
tee from the Hawaiian legislature, and
had thus learned something of the life
of the lepers, and to some extent had
become familiar with their condition.
The disease he did not consider conta-
gious, and, while the present methods
of segregation are in existence, there
was little or no danger to visitors or to
whites who might settle on any of the
group OF islands making up the ex-
queens domain.
1T Is said that seven years may
elapse between the time the leprous
poison enters the system and any wish
bic signs OF the disease" said Mr.. Mac
farlane. when it appears, the victim
Is taken to Molokai, and henceforth is
doomed to remain there in circum-
stances dependent much upon his finan-
cial condition and the disposition of his
friends and relatives
Some of the lepers live in fine
houses which they have built with
their own means. or which have been
provided by sympathetic friends Each
OF these has his own tract of land to
till He has books to read His house
Is furnished TO suit his taste, and all
the Injuries of the kingdom are within
his reach. The best thu: the markets
afford is on his table He may enter
tain as extensively as IS possible with
such limited social circle as the set
Element affords He has nothing 20 do
but wait with grim death slowly aud
certainly coming upon him
The government IS bound 70 provide
for those who have 10 means. There
are several settlements or villages on
the island, and TO some extent the
sufferers are classified in these Cen
orally they ill the soil, which is coed
thing, not only because il gives them
something 70 distract their attention
from their own sufferings and the suf-
ferings OF their associates but also
because i Is a healthtul thing for them
The superintendent Of the island
lives apart from all the patients in =
house surrounded by high stone wall,
within which no leper may como. His
position IS not one which would be
sought Tor by most men, but he need