The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-07-27

AsOttG OAJA
hall points out, has somewhat famous
loper farm, which was established in
1880 one mile from Nicosiu
But of all foreign countries from
which tho dreaded disease has been
China. Tho immgrants from there
havo penetrated every city La the land,
carrying along with them the lcprour
germs, which through laundrics and
cigar factories, whcfe they have been
employed. have distributed the seeds of
the disease by Wholesale. Statistics
gathered by the state of California have
shown that the disease has been cstab-
lishcd on u firm footing thore, and that
it is distinctly attributable to Mongo-
lian lepers, some of whom, discovered
In New York, were quarantined on
North Brother island, where they still
remain.
Mormon converts brought the disease
from the Sandwich islau ds to Salt Lake
City, and Utah stands n very good
chance, unless proper precautions are
taken, of being a second Hawaii, since
frotn to 10 per cent. of the population
arc afflicted with lcprosy, not counting
those tainted with it, who, medical au-
thorities say, will bring the average up
to from 40 to 90 per cent. of the inhab-
itants. Such also may be the fato OF
British Guiana, Australia, New Zea-
land, Japan, Madagascar, Siam and
Bornco, in all OF which countries lep-
rosy is said to be making great head
way.
This development of the disease in
Hawaii can be traced from it's gcncsis
in 1900. To-day 1,200 of tho worst cases
have been hcrdcd together in The lepcr
settlement OF Molokai, which has
proved conclusivoly the contagiousness
OF the disease. The most notable case
on record i'll this connection is that of
the humanitarian, Father Damien dc
Ncustcr, who, in 1873. left his cure in
Hawaii TO givoup his life for the unfor-
tunates kept apart from tho rest of tho
world ut Molokai When he first took
upon himself this act of sclf-sacritice,
nnd to which he died martyr, he was
robust, healthy man. Three wears
later he developed incipicn: tulcrcular
leprosy, the most horrible and virulcnt
phase of the disease. Within ten years
he WAS corpse.
IL is not Improbable that before
many years have gone by the entire
native population OF the Sandwich
islands will have succumbcd to this
malignant destroyer, whose ravapcs
there exhibit an object lesson of which
thc people OF tho United States should
take heed. 1t is more likely than not,
however it viii work itself out on this
continent in far different manner
from what il did in Europe, where, al
though first observed in Italy in the
second century, it did not become rem
eral until the eighth century, and al
most epidemic i'll the twelfth, declining
in the fifteenth and becoming practical
~ extinct in the seventeenth, to once
more assert itself again in the middle
OF the present century. Since that
time it has attacked races lonr free
from 1t, working its COURSE moro purtic.
ularly in strong, healthy and virilc peo-
| pie, like the Scandinaviaus.
Tho fallacv dogmaticallv promnl.
gated in 1867 by the Royal College of
| Physicians and Surgeons Of Great Brit
ain and Ireland tina; lep.osy was not
contagious has boon shown to be abso-
lutely false by Dr.. Ilanscm's discovery
of the lep:ic bacilli in 1874. This is n
slender rodlikc parasite half to three
quarters of the diameter Of a human
blood corpuscle and one-liith of it's
length. The British dogma OF the non
contagiousucss of lcp.osy is no longer
| needed by Americans and other der
matologists. But many of tho physi
cians and authorities in the British
| possessions still hold to the position
taken twcnty-ciFht years ago by the
highest British medical authority. and
tho consequence is that our best an,
thoritics have to regard immigrants
| and products from all the colonial pos,
sessions of great Britain with the most
terrible dread.
In addition TO tho case OF Father
Damien rs an evidence OF the in
fictitious character OF lcprosy. there are
also instanccd the eases OF humorous
sisters OF charity and physicians who
nave devoted their lives TO the caro- of
lopcrs, thereby sacrificing themselves
for the love OF humanity, religion or
science. The best known American cy
ample of this is that Of Father Boglioli.
who died of lcprosy contracted by him
st the Charity hospital in Now Or
leans while administering the encra-
ment OF extreme junction to two lcpcra.
Medical science scc,ns TO be united
now in the belief that lcprosy is not
hcrcditarly transInissiblo and DR.. Pit
kin ns m cpiIcpco 90 +I,;z ~,