The Portland daily press., 1893-12-08
A SPECTRE TO BE EXERCISED.
Leprosy. Which Has Gained Unexpected
Footholds in North and South America
IN. Y. SUM-

Orleans and in various parts ofsLouisiana
appears to be usually accepted as mat
ter of course. and to excite but little
apprehension. 1t will be remembered
how year or so ago, the whole country
was alarmed because A leper was dis
covered in this neigh borhood; how the
poor wretch, a Chinaman was shipped
back to the West, whence he came; how
the West refused to receive him, and he
was kept locked in a box car, and
switched about from place to place. until
he was some how lost sight of. Then
there was great excitement because OF
the story that doctors had discovered a
case of leprosy in Philadelphia and re-
fused to disclose the identity or where
abouts of the patient. A year ago the
people of New Orleans INDUCED in a
short scare over the information that
quite number of lepers were at large
in the city and State, working at vari-
Gus trades, one even plying the vocation
OF barber. The scare spread over the
country, and for awhile it was demanded
that something be done to restrict their
goings about Then public attention
was diverted elsewhere.
But that lepers are abroad in the city
anew. Leprosy exists in several parts
of the rural districts of the State, but
TO what precise extent is not known, las
no attempt has been made to separate the
lepers from the rest of the people. quite
number of lepers are known to exist in
the city of New Orleans, living at large,
mixing with the general public, and
plying their vocations unhindered. The
physicians and the Board of Health have
several times called the matter to the
attention of the authorities, and the
legislature did once pass law apparent
Iy contemplating the establishment of a
hospital where lepers could be segregat
cd, but no provisions were made for
Carrying it into effect, and nothing has
been done.
AT the occurrence of one OF the periOdi-
cal public scares some time ago the small
box hospital in New Orleans was set
aside for the use of lepers; but these I'M
fortunate beings may go or stay to please
themselves. Some ten lepers have been
staying in this hospital for several
months, butsno care or medical attention
is provided for them. Indeed there is
nothing provided but shelter, and little
of that for the building is in bad con-
dition, and the rain runs through the
roof. ~mThere are no attendants or guards,
and the lepers come and go as they please
Usually one.leper does the marketing and
He, of course, goes to the public mar
kets, mixes with the crowds there and
on the public streets, and nobody seems
to care.
Besides those lepers whom restitution
drives to take occasional shelter at the
hospital, it is known that there are
quite number living in the city. I'm
doubtedly the condition of affairs is one
of great danger, not alone to that city
and State, but to the whole country.
The leper question has existed in LOUISE
ana for some sixty years, but no real at
tempt at solution has ever been made.
One New Orleans newspaper is again
trying just now to rouse the authorities
to some salutary action. But the leaven-
ing power of public anxiety is wanting
in the movement, and it does not seem
proba BILE that anything will be done in
this direction toward the public safety.
1t is interesting that a similar state of
affairs relating to lepers exists in Jamai-
ca, in Dutch Guiana, and in many .Other
regions in this hemisphere where leprosy
is common. Lepers are very plentiful IN
Jamaica, and they mix with the people
without let or hindrance, plying all man
ner of trades and vocations, even to sell
ing fruit and cakes on the public streets
and keeping butcher shops and bakeries.
The government has provided leper
hospital at Spanish Town, which ordi-
narily shelters hundred or more lepers.
But there is no restriction on their
coming and going as they please. Good
care and treatment is provided for them
and, as is the nature Of the average
Jamaican negro, they are well pleased to
have some one provide for them and
thus enable them to live without work
and care. But when they take notion
to go to see the sights, they simply go,
and none binders them. The physicians
and thoughtful peoplesof the island peri
odically try to secure some proper treat
ment of the very serious leper question,
but humanity's prevailing type in the
tropics is easy going, and nothing is
done.
The Dutch government has established
g Ieper station at Batavia, in Surinam,
but isolation of the lepers is not enforced.
British Guiana has a leper hospital,
which has an average of from 300 to 400
inmates, and here, too discipline as to
and go pretty much as they please. .lep-
rosy is fearfully rife throughout the West
Indies and in many parts of Central and
South America, and the authorities in
almost all the various countries are lax
in ssthe exercise of control over the
sufferers from the disease, and it is al
lowed to be spread unhindered. And it
is spreading at an alarming rate, fact
well attested though little needed.
Dr.. Wyman, Surgeon-General of the
Marine Hospital service, has said that
there are indications that leprosy is
spreading in the United States. He has
noted the existence of numb her of cases
in various cities and country districts,
and also the unwilligness of the local
authorities to properly deal with such
cases, often because the lepers, if their
existence were generally known, would
become a terror and burden to the
community. He has recommended that
national leper hospital be established,
to which lepers could be sent from ali
parts of the Union. and where they
would be properly cared for, and thereby
the safety of the whole people would be
guarded. DR.. Wylnan said in recent
report that the facts in his possession
concerning the dread disease compelled
him to the opinion that decisive steps
should Immediately be taken to prevent,
not alone it's Introduction from the
countries to the south. but it's spread
from cases now here, and he did not
think it the part of wisdom to await for
any larger development of the disease to
demonstrate the necessity for its sup
preston. Perhaps a prospect of being
entirely rid of their lepers by their re-
moval to a national hospital might in
terest the people of Louisiana in Dr.