The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-12

of supplies: the living quarters are de-
tached-divided into little cell-lke cabins,
one for each leper and containing each
"a bed, stove. a table and the personal
effects and most cherished possessions of
the occupant. Here he cooks his own
meals as long as he is able, sleeps. reads,
does whatever he can 10 kill the time that
separates him from death
At the back OF the row of cabins is the
garden in which the lepers take their
chief pride. 1t has been made and Is cared
for bg them, and now furnishes an album
dant supply of vegetables all the year
The lepers could in fact grow much more
than they do. but as they could have
no way of disposing of a surplus. they
are satisfied to provide a sufiiciency only
Small fruits, too are fiourishing, and
a young orchard gives promise of plenty
of apples and pears and apricots for those
who come to the lazaretto after its pres
ent inhabitants have satisfied the debt of
nature.
That the unfortunates have plenty to
eat and wear is evidenced by the fact
that the storehouse contains many as yet
unopened bags and boxes; that luXurics
as well as necessaries are provided is
shown by a heap of emptied tins over in
one corner-preserved fruits, condensed
cream, jam. and even honey, for the
authorities believe in making the lot of
their unhappy charges as comfortable as
pOs6lble hnQCT the circumstances.
They're better off than half the white
people these hard times" is the philo-
sophical observation of Inspector Conlin
who takes considerable pride in his treat
ment of the lepers; "that is in a way
of course. They have all they want to
eat and drink, little or nothing to do.
and nothing to worry them. oh, yes:
they are fairly contented-or would be If
we'd keep them supplied with opium.
I'm going to give them that too-they
might as well have whatever happiness
there is in 1t, poor devils"
With which somewhat paradoxical
statement of the case Mr. Conlin returns
to the unloading of his quarters supplies.
The faces of the lepers do not Indicate
contentment. They do not indicate any
thing. All emotion seems killed, and as
the raVages of the disease progress the
poor victim seems little by little to be-
come less and less a human being When
first taken TO the lazaretto he realizes the
infinite horror of his position and for a
time is a frenzied mailman. Then comes
the hysterical stage; and, afterwards the
dull, deadened, hopeless waiting for
death. Mechanically the victims of the
plague perform accustomed tasks daily
returning little nearer to primitive ex-
istence. Sharing the wild pheasant trap
ping the mink, or searching the fields
for roots and herbs of medicinal value
constitute their chief diversions The ad-
vanced cases are but breathing embodi-
ments of disease-suffering animals, dead
already to all the impulses and feelings
that raise men above the brutes. I'm
clean they are in very truth-the one
word that describes as no other can the
Characteristic feature of the loathsome
disease.
As general rule. 1t is the hands and
feet that first have withered, rotted and
dropped away. In one or two cases. how
ever, the face has first been attacked and
the use of the limbs has remained to
compensate for the loss of nose and Inns
and ears. The seven patients represent
the three distinct forms of leprosy, but to
the non-professional eye there is little
difference between them. All have the
same dry, horrible, scaly skin-the same
dead hands and feet. into which a pin
may be pushed clear to It's head without
any pain being caused. All have too, the
same peculiar muscular twitching of the
eyes, and all display the same eagerness
to deny that it is leprosy that has cursed
them, and is inch by inch claiming their
bodies.
Nip Sing is sure that his feet rotted away
because he worked for a long time in
watery, swampy land; Fong SIN Loi
says it was handling the pick and shovel
that made his hands sore-that is ALL
Chin Wah Yuen blames poisonous ivy for
n
was trostbite in the Manitoba winter
None will admit that it is Ieprosy, or. at
all events, that the curse has been inher-
tied Each is willing to allow that all his
fellows are plague-stricken, but not him
self. With himself it is always something
else, although so like.
But as the days 90 by they waste away.
growing constantly weaker and weaker
until some intercurrent disease releases
them from their suffering and another
rude grave is made in the woods and there
is one less in the cabins. Leprosy seldom.
If ever in the direct cause Of a Iepers
death.
One would naturally think that, being
so close to civilization. the lepers would
find little difficulty in escaping from their
island prison. They seldom try the ex-
pertinent however. Intelligent energy is
gone, and the lepers know that no help
can be had from their fellow-countrymen
TO whom a leDer is to-day what he was
1000 year ago-one TO be driven forth into
the desert. Only one escape has been
made or attempted since Darcy Island
station was established, and that about
six months ago.
There was a doubt among the Chinese
as to the genuineness Of the case, and the
lepers friends carried him away from the
island in sloop, and ultimately disap-
peared with him. The death rate among
the iepers during the three years the laz-
arctic has been in existence has been
about 50 per cent. and the most rapid
progress of the disease noted was observed
in the case Of the only white man. who
has yet been condemned to the island. He
contracted the plague from a Chinese
woman only about one year before IL
terminated his life. Strange 10 say. there
have been no suicides among the lepers,
and no attempts.
Or. George Il. Duncan. in whose chargs
Ns.l afu fa 90 rsfII ssaaa
many strange phases which the little