Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-02-25
THE CURSE or ALL AGES
Leprosy, the Oldest Disease OF the World
Nav Not Be Contagious


BY the recent discovery of Japan
sse, in Philadelphia, who was afflicted
with leprosy, and who had been cook
tn a restaurant up TO short time be-
fore he was put in the hospital, is
forcibly brought to mind the present
question, Is leprosy incurab.e?
In his lecture before the section of
of State medicine aud hygiene, DR.. j.
Hutchinson, of London, a diStin-
guished pathologist, not only main
tanned that leprosy is absolutely not
contagious, but that it is by special
kind of poison taken into the system
in connection with food that the
loathsome disease is induced. Ger
tain specific kind of bacteria have
been found in the blood of lepers
which is only found in a certain
kind of fish, and it is by eating of
this flsh-just as the eating OF raw
or diseased pork will induce trichino-
sis-that the healthy individual be-
comes a leper. This species of fish
is asserted by DR.. Hutchinson to be
common in leprosy districts, and as
the varieties of the disease are the
same the world over, the cause. he
argues, must always be the same.
LeproSy is the oldest disease recog-
nized by medical authorities in the
world. 1t was epidemic in the earli-
est times, from 100 to 1000 B. c., in
the delta of the Nile, in Egypt.
Egypt was regarded by the ancients
as the original breeding place of lep-
rosy, and it was from there that the
children of Israel carried it forth
with them in the exodus. From
Egypt it spread all over the civilized
world. The crusades helped to ex-
tend its rayages, and during the
eleventh and twelfth centuries it is
estimated that not less than $4,000
leper houses, retreats and hospitals
Tor the disease were opened in Eu-
rope.
Another authority is DR.. A. Prince
Morrow, who in June, 1889, read
paper before the New York Academy
of Medicine, describing his observa-
tions of leprosy in the Sandwich
Islands, Mexico and this country.
His conclusions were that the disease
is distinctly and undisputably con-
tagious, and that it is the duty of
civilization to combat its advance
among enlightened nations. This
can only be done by thorough and
complete isolation of those afflicted.
1t is said that they are 400 cases of
leprosy in the United States. There
is a colony in the Parish of St.
Mary's, PlaQuemine District, Louisi-
ana, within 100 miles of New Or
leans. There is another colony in
Wisconsin. There are also several
colonies in Canada, in Nova Scotia
and New Brunswick.
No remedy has yet been discovered
that will do more than ameliorate
the sdtferings of the lepers. Last
year two doctors in India-one at
Calcutta and the other at Mangalore
announced that they had cured
several cases of leprosy. Nothing
more has been heard concerning these
cures, which, doubtless, were inter
stitial leprosy. a very mild form, and
least contagious. Or, it is possible.
the East Indian medical experts NAV
have been deceived in their diagnosis.
Great circumstantiality was given
to the report; the cost Of successful
treatment was said to be only 10 ru-
peeS.
The contagiousness of the disease
was universally recognized in ancient
times, and the lepers were isolated
and forbidden to mingle with the
people. They were confined to GER
tain quarters of the cities and villa
ges, and certain streets and lanes
were set apart for their use, which
were forbidden TO the general public.
They wore gray or black gowns, with
hoods to cover the face. and carried
a bell or wooden continuance, after
the fashion of old English constables'
attles, to warn people of their ap-
proach. The lepers were forbidden
to enter churches, inns, stores or
workshops to touch a healthy per
son or eat with them, to wash ia a
running stream or walk in narrow
footpaths.
The rigorous measures thus taken
had the effect of stamping out the |
disease in Europe to great measure.
There still survive, however, colonies !
Of lepers in all parts OF the world. |
and there are very few civilized ma
tions without some lepers in their |
mi