The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-01

The British Cou,uis-iou Finds No Evidence
that n us CONTAGIOUS or Hereditary, or
that Hts Tucrensc IL - Mater for Atnru,.


great amount OF new information. fun Of
striking facts and conclusions about the
strange. dread disease Of leprosy has been
published in Calcutta In special report 10y
the Indian Government. II Is the result OF
aome six months thorough Investigation OF
the subject throughout the Indian Empire by
special commission. composed OF medical
men o! tho highest scientific skill and special
Illness for the work. For some years past re-
ports have been circulated in India aud Great
Britain OF m alarming prevalence and recent
great increase of lepr"sy in India. aud about u
year ago these reports cngendored quite n
scare. which resulted In tho appointment OF u
Com mission to investigate the whole loprosy
question with the greatest tlioroughuess
Three commissioners wore appointed in Eng
land one each by tho College Of Physicians
the College OF Surgeons. and the National
Leprosy Fund. and two Commiss toner's wero
appointed by the Indian Government All tho
members were especially qualified for tho
work the two appointed In india being Sur
geon' Majors In the Indian medical service. OF
wide experience with the disease in its home.
The Commission spent Two months in travel
ling to all parts OF tho country. visiting
asylums. examining lepers. and Investigating
social. sanitary, and climatic condit ions.
Some 1910 lepers were personally examined.
hi'elWaTu the 'bUlInlSSiOnplS met III Clnlll
and conducted a long series OF pathological
and archaeological researches. Every civil
surgeon aud every medical man who could con-
tribute anything to tho investigation through
out all India did so through II list OF ques-
lions sent out by the Surgeon q one raj. and
thus the inquiry was made remarkably com
rlete. and the best possible basis afforded for
the formation OF cancellations by the experts.
In the first place the Commissioners found
inar the reports OF an alarming Increase r, ot
figures Of the report suggest decrease rather
than All increase. rroportionate TO popu lation.
In round numbers. taking the figures OF three
censuscs the number OF lepers has changed
nom 100000 in 1911 TO 100000 in 1921 tho
ratio being about > por 10000 Of population.
in the areas enumerated or"ach census.
The Com mission insists upon the etiologi-
cal Identity OF the disease as unaffected In it's
Tie same causes, Of 2.aI3 cases examined.
tuberculoua. and 30 per cent. mixod cases.
In over ~ per cont. OF all the cases exam
inet he disease first manifested itself in carly
As regards the geographical distribution OF
lerrnsy the census returns and the Commits
sion's Investigations agree tnat. contrary to
wide belief. tho sea coast. riparian areas. or
large valleys are not more affe ted than other
dental or otherwise. between the da mpness OF
climate and the prevalence OF leprosv.
cholera u endemic leIrosy is especially prev
Is most prevalent 10 the mos. poverty. s,rickei!
areas. In fact. while the origin and spread Of
l"pr"sy is still very much OF n mystery. the in
yostiGntions having disprov.d many tune
new ones oi u positive nature. the commission
j. we'll agreed that no0r sanitary conditions,
ad social surroundings. defective and bad
die,ctic conditions. aud unrleanness gen.
orally arc important factors in the causation
OF ,rprosy. They toll the old story. that dirt
is disease nnd cleanliness health. whether it is
lrprOSS. cn' blefu, or any other urpau plague that
Is investigated. The native nonulntinn is most
T1oos to en5Gsy and the "nxei EHrGpsIn
social rath her than racial conditions.
1t has been GENERALLY stated. and widely &C;
rather than t" prevent leprosy. and there was
at one time great OPPOSITION. in Great Britain
ment belieyed In vaccination. and caused it to
be generally resorteh TO- There has been no
abnormal increase OF leprosy during the last
thirty years. and in u lengthy section on this
subject tho Commission comes to the concu-
sion that vaccination is IL very good thing
Tn. native opposition to vaccinati ion has prac
tically disappeared. and the people do not fear
infection through the operation In no case
did the Commission lind leprosy bacili in vac
The Commissioners state the important con-
tIn , again contrary to general belief and
that leprosy in India cannot be- considered
a hereditary, disease. and they would even ven
hardly sufficient TO establish an inherited
Specific rredisposition t." the disease by the
hIlSDTlng pl lepTOHS parents 10 my appTecln-
pls degree" A great many forcible arguments
are ndduccd against the existence of trmo
,poriII; hereditary rrehisposition casually
related to the leprOsy in the parent. The pos
sibe risk o; an increase OF the leper
r"p"Gii"n; =; , .t the 81 spread Sasndt
is discussed at great length. and
tho Commissioners come to the striking con:
cIusion that marriages among epsrs and
sion OF lerrosy by means OF the offspring"
Lepcrs may marry and their offspring he free
M In ali L. IN m n n IN.
served fact. clean person marrying leper
may become a lersr and yet the otisrrinE be
be leprous. while the pnrent is not while. OF
course, there are many lrpers whose parents
MsTs not 50 TaG sust IS tbat
leprosy is not II hereditary disease.
The Commissioners also consider that
contagious disease yet the risk OF cOntngion
is SO small that i may practically lie dlsre;;
alleged or possible contngion. out every one
OF them broke com petely down. They saythe
tie direct ell toward tho removal OF prodiSpoS-
ing factors rs tho best means OF combating
the disease.
held and defended by able scientists. Is reject
ed. Ieprosy bacilli nave never been found in
fish. while the Commits oners found several
score Of iepers whose principles enforced upon
them total abstinence from iish and meat Tho
increase Of lenrosy in india has also been at,
been urged in the House OF Commons. The
Commission rejects this theory also; 1t also
ploycd for drinking or bathing purposes. may
assist in the diffusion Of leprosy. All these
theories nre discussed and treate NJ great
length and their rejection is on the most com
plete grounds.
Tho methods OF treating leprosy in India
and elsewhere are dealt with at length. but
the Investigations q! the EXPERTS hold out no
hope for the stricken. I"pi"sy IL nm incurabe
disease. and all tho treatments 50 lar known
are Of palliative use only. The nest, and tho
most that can be done is to ameliOrate the
condition OF the sufferers. and this may best
be effected ny attention To hygiene to inproy-
ing their surroundings. ana segregation Is
recon ended. II Tor this reason alone. 1T Is
not n hopeful rep0rt. for while II adds much to
our knowledge OF this oldest and most terrible
OF Diseases. tho Information is mostly negative.
The origin dissemination. and cure OF the dis
case remain mysteries.