The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-19
A CHINESE LEPER.
An Advanced Case Found
i'm Chinatown.
Between Starvation and Disease the
Leper Drags Out an Existence
in an Underground Den.

Chinatown has got what is said to be q
well-developed case OF leprosy. At least 1t
has been pronounced so by Chinese doctor.
The leper is Chinaman and exists in a
small room about feet square in a kind OF
sub-basement under one of the old brick
buildings on the east side of Bartlett alley.
The old Chinaman. helpless and in about
the last stage of starvation, was found by
Officers McManus and Walweber and a
CALL reporter in the lit tie den where he
had been slowed away by his countrymen
as the easiest way of getting rid of him.
The room in which the leper was left to
drag out the remainder of his miserable
life was reached down a very dilapidated
fight of stairs from the alley. then about
thirty feet to the rear. along dark and
stuffy passage, lined on zach side with
small, dngy cells. in which were opium lay
outs. Directly at the end of the passage
was the hole in which the leper resided.
The den looked as if 1t had been excavated
from the side of the basement and II reeked
with filth and veTmin.
The od0r OF the room was almost unbear-
able, and 1t required very steady stomach
to remain in its vicinity very long On
low bench along one side of the dungeon
was bundle of rags that had at one time
been a blanket, but the foul air and musty
uamDneSS Hau almost TOkJeu IL away, anu
beneath the folds Of that bundle of filth lay
the form OF the afflicted Chinaman. TIE
leper had for months been unable to rise
from his bed and was totally unable 10 walt
upon himself.
Ills room had not been cleaned for days.
and when his brother Cinnamon 90 near
him it is only TO shove a few grains OF rice
within his reach and leave as hastily as pos
sble.
The old man was horrible sight, and his
emaeiated form, covered with white. scaly
sores and hanging shreds OF flesh ready TO
drop off at the slightest jar, presented
most gastly spectacle in the dim light Of
candle carried by one OF the officers.
The condition Of the old man was at once
reported TO DIR. Keeney OF the Health De-
partment, who said he knew the Chinaman
and that he was suffering from loathsome
disease, not lepr0sy, and further that the
man was UP to year ago In the Pesthouse,
but asked to be liberated. He seoffed at
the idea Of the disease being leprosy.
A Chinese doctor. who claims TO be we'll
acquainted with leprosy, having seen q
great many cases of 1t in China, and an
underground room. The old man was
stripped, and he was found 10 be covered
with sores from head to foot, and the doc
tor at once pronounced it to be leprosy in a
very advanced stage.
The old-m said that he had been in the
room over two years with no one to take
care of him. lie said he had no money and
could not secure the services of a physician.
One or two of the Chinese guides sometimes
brought people to see him and they occa-
sonalIy gave him money. with which he
bought provisions, and when he had no
money some of the Cinnamon who knew
him brought him a little rice now and then.
1t is a fact that during the past month
some OF the Chinese guides have been aking
visitors to see the eper. and few nights
ago party of ladies were taken down in
the dungeon. One of the ladies tainted at
the sight of the sores, and the others have
not yet recovered from the effects of the
horrible sight.