The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-04-13
DIR. GOT0'S MISSION.
HE TALKS ABOUT HIS TREAT
MENT OF LEPRoSY.
Some Interesting Experiments to be Made
at Molokai-A Remedy Of
Herbs and Salts,

to make another visit to the leper settle
ment on the Island of Molokai. The
doctor will leave Monday next for a
months stay together with Mr.. David
Dayton representing the government
board of health.
DIR. Goto who has been secured by
the Hawaiian government to treat the
lepers under restraint has made a life
study of the disease and its treatment
as his father Shobun Guto had before
him, and processes to have an invaluable
remedy, a portion of the ingredients Of
his mede clnts being secret. That the
doctor IS convinced of the value Of bis
remedy is plain, and that his desire to
further his knowledge of this most loath
some Of diseases in quite as apparent
by his accepting the work here instead
Of remaining in Japan where his ser
vices are in great demand It the eper
hospitals.
ito the doctors treatment of leprosy
it looks very simple. He uses four
kinds of medicines, demanding of the
patient only abstinence from liquors,
and insisting on the plentiful use Of
good nutritious food.
The medicines used are made from
the oil of Tai Fushi seed, procured in
China, and the bark of the Hichiyo a
Japanese shrub tree, in connection with
certain mineral and vegetable salts, the
nature Of which is kept secret. The
internal medicines are given in the form
of pellets while the same ingredients in
different proportions and added to a
Sulphurated bath are used for outward
application, the patient being required
to battle freely three times each day
with this wash, to take the pellets at
certain intervals and to rub the stifren-
ed joints freely after bathing. That is
the entire formula.
DR.. Goto is very enthusiastic in his
work, and loves to converse on the
subject. He says: "The internal
remedies persstently combat the germs
until they are destroyed, while the bath
cleanses and heals, and good food pro-
duces new blood and strength, which is
health. If the ravages of the disease
have lost to the patient finger or
other member, that cannot be replaced;
but the stiff joints will be loosened
through the benign influence of new
blood created and the healthfu condi-
ton Of the patient by the building up
and rejuvenating of the blood tissues"
Upon this trip to Molokai DR. Goto
will remain there month, and besides
treating the patients will superintend
the reconstruction of the Kalaupapa
hospital for males. Arrangements
will be made to conduct some impor-
tant scientific investigations also; and
at the next visit these inquiries will be
carried out as far as possible.
Among the more important expert
mental studies will be the planting of
the bacilli of leper into poi and other
food in the effort to discover if the
disease may be thus transmitted to
others 1t is the doctors theory that
food is the most common as we'll as
most potent factor in the communication
of leprosy-the word communication
being used in contradistinction to in
oculation or absorption by DIR. Goto,
who believes nothing short of the eating
of infected food or long feshly contact
can pollute. That the children of lepers
if taken from the parents in time may
be entirely free from the disease is
another belief ofthe doctors, who agrees
that the child of leper is not more apt
to inherit or imbibe that disease from
the parent than one borne by a con
sumptive.
DR.. Goto believes, however, as does
DIR. N. B. Emerson who has made a
thorough study of the lepers Of these
Islands and has written some valuable
papers on the subject, that the most
subtle infection comes from kissing, as
the germs of leprosy invariably infest
, the nose and mouth through the mucous
membranes; hence the necessity fol
separating the child from the mother
who would naturally coddle and kiss
her babe. In fact it is the belief Of
both these gentlemen that only through
these sources are the matured bacllli
such as would infect, spread abroad.
A study of the St cretions of lepers
will be made and comparisons with the
same from healthy patients will be
noted.
DIR. Goto says there are nearly clever
hundred lepers now under government
restraint on Molokai, among whom are
a score or so of whites, several of the
latter being women, whose cases are o
such light character as to assure the
being cured within few months.
81 require year, as a rule, to cure
case of leprosy," explained the doctor
sometimes it requires longer time
but in such instances as these Whit
women, a cure should be effected
within six months"
DIR. Goto has been secured by tn,
Hawaiian government to take charg
of the medical department of the lepe
colony for the coming year, and il
that time the doctor proposes to worl
some wonderful effects and, to use hi
own words, "show the world that lepros
may be effectually cured.