The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-07-25
iMPEACHED BY HIMSELF.
TROUSSEAU IN THE MESHES
OF HIS RECORD.
The French Doctor Once Swore That
Leprosy is Contagious "A Medi
cal Weather-cock.

The political move of Port Physician
Trousseau in respect to the segregation
of lepers has brought out some sworn
professional testimony of the French
doctor which contradicts at every point
his present notions about the non
contagiousness of the white plague.
In the case of The King VS. Thomas
Thrum, editor of the Saturday Press,
for criminal libel in criticising the
methods adopted by DR.. George Fitch,
Government physician, in the treat
ment of leprosy in the case of one
Summer, DIR. Trousseau was an i'm
portant witness. The case was tried at
the July term of the Supreme Court,
1883, Messrs. Hatch and Russell APP
pearing for the prosecution and Hon.
Sanford B. Dole for the defense, a YER
dict Of not guilty being returned. The
following extracts are taken from the
original notes taken by Chief Justice
Judd on the trial of the case:
cam practcing physician twelve
years here this month diploma from
Paris familiar with leprosy; rec gnize
an affinity or identity between syphilis
and leprosy Leprosy was an acknowl
edged fact all over the world before
syphilis was known. LebyoSy is con,
tagionS. / believe so. Not as much
SO as eruptive diseases, but fully as
much so as syphilis. did at first
believe it was not contagious, but since
l have observed it closely l cannot
account for the enormous increase ex
cept that it is contagious. This is
being discussed in medical journals all
over the world, and it is SO accounted
for there. By close observation have
come to that conclusion. 1t is easy to
define between the two diseases. |
sent several hundred lepers to Kalawao
and made very few mistakes.
Leprosy is communicated principally
by incubation, inhibition or abs)rp-
ton, not by simple contact of un-
abraded sound surfaces and not
through the air. Through the mucous
membrane, saliva, juice of pipe or
eating poi. ! would now think it dan
gerous to associate with lepers and
believe in segregation. Very little
leprosy in Europe now as com
pared with the middle ages. Some
think it died out by segregation and by
preventing lepers from having children.
On s-examination the
doctor further said leprosy is communi
Gated through heredity, incubation
and sexual intercourse Gmbibition) |
am afraid that it may be inocuated
by flies or insects, but | don't know of
case where it has been SO communi-
Gated. Incubation is a long stage, five
or six years, sometimes eight to ten.
Children may be inoculated in infancy,
but the disease rarely breaks out till
nine years have passed, and in India
till ten years.
In the light Of DIR. Trousseau's sworn
testimony, the letter which he sent to
Hon. w. O. Smith last week becomes
mighty interesting reading. Here
it is:
July IS, 1898.
Hon. w. O. Smith, President of the
Board Of Healh-DEAR SIR: Have
you received the report of the leprosy
commission in India, an octave volume
of $50 pages? If not, will be very
glad to lend you my copy.
| received it by the China last Sun
day. Ali my spare time | have be.
slowed on reading it over and over. 1t
is magnificent report, and expresses
my sincere, honest and earnest opinion
on the subject,
My opinion has never changed. For
twenty years or more that have been
in the country, and made a thorough
study of the disease, my conclusions
have been the same as those arrived at
by the commission of the national
leprosy fund.
As in any case | am respectful OF
the law and of authority, | helped, to
this date, the carrying out of the law
of segregation. In doing so, was
prompted by feeling of modesty, and
hardly felt justified in opposing a
measure enforced by men, probably
better than |.
My researches with Aiming, Lutz, my
correspondence with my own country,
men, Unna, Neisser, in Germany; and
the Norwegian physicians, and at last
this remarkable report, compel me tc
abide by my strong convictions More.
over, at great expense | have lately
started a new treatment of tuberculosis
(consumption) and leprosy, treatment
in which l have, Alright or wrong, some
faith. This, with the suspected epers
at large, will try at my own cost OF
time and money, and communicate
results to you, if any. OF course it is
not secret treatment, and will be al
any time exposed to you if you
desire it.
OF late l have correspondent with
the best authorities on the subject
have procured some valuable remedies
and have already begun experiments
with such lepers (suSpectS) as are al
lowed at large.
Sufficient to say that | am a non
cont apiOniSt and therefore can see nc