The sun., 1895-02-03
LOUISIANA'S LEP ERS.
A New Colony Where All tho Amicted ARH
to BE Segregated.

NEW ORLEANS. Feb. 1.-Afler years Of effort,
Louisiana has reached solution OF its lepeH
problem, and is now rapidly gathering all ito
lepers, several hundred in number, at Indian
Camp. on the Mississippi River in Ibsrville
parish The disease has prevailed in Louisiana
since 1860, when IT was brought In by the slave
trade, IL was supposed. The lepers were mostly
congregated in colonies or settlements of theiR
own. tho largest being upon lower Bayou LaS
fourche. where, amid swamps, they lived q mis-
erabe existence. From these centres they
strayed Off to New Orleans and elsewhere. The
presence Of IA considerable number in New Or
leans where they mixed freely with the healthy
population, has been cause Of uncasness for
years. Several efforts have lccn made TO get
rid Of them. but the problem has been where To
put them 80 that they would be isolated and tn
find persons who would care for and nurse them.
Tho Legislature made liberal provision for
them. but the Leper Commission had difficulty
In finding site, for no was one selected,
no matter how secluded. than protest waa
raised against il. The Commission thought 10
had secured an excellent site at odd Fort Living-
stOn. twenty miles from any Auu e., but tha
same protest came up. II fronts on Lake Pont~
chartrain, and the people living Uu l'rt lake exc
pressed the fear that the rags or dthri' from the
leper hospital might be carried I" their shores
and spread the disease the ritr finally selected.
crety. and the hospital there was .j'tci up for
the lepers before the people Of the Ecl .hborhood
knew about II. They protested vigorously, but
II was too late.
The Leper Commission announces that the
no spital il now open, and Il II prupu"od to care
for all the lepcrs In the Sirtc, H. J, encounters
ing great deal of ,diniculty IN III" matter, foR
the lcpcrs do not like the ilra ut hctu. cOn-
hned. aud the people ut lhrr'lll' "p not want
them some, OF tile ~ IfortIn"trt nave posi-
i,H.l. tHsII uTtI k'l I'm ltt. tuE
10 the camp 10y force, which b. not lcdsAnt, as
no one cares 10 handle them. rr tempt has
been made g. mov" the iniuur %" "rr colony.
which Includes majority nf the AM ted In the
State The last time tho Board %. "alth sent
n Commission down bayou LniuTr h'tn cxam-
Inc them they brcRiuc alarmed al boz prospect
Of being captured Rud iWpri,uurd, Hud He'd to
Ills ~sn"rtsnSr viii d"un "S rs H. .,catcd wheS
tbs attcnpI to remove them i mae ., 49,
The hospital authorities suy tnHl th" Ihervillo-
ans are waging Here" war co. lh'm. The au-
thprltes Ut the parish "udcly"r.w lu rpInuol tho
pcopn have refused - ,ell hrrno or other sup-
plio' tu III" hospital, and all gupp."' have 10 be
nurses cmplonI"d IN ne, L"tp'i"l nhro been
warned that they would ho ehut 4 they cAm0
outside "t the hospital T"nnd,.
The hospital uulhUritirH az" trying 20 make
the lrprrs s"it-snppnrtinR, II. ur,rly all OF
thum are able Ia do ~ little wort, nnd u vegotS-
VIII, th,y can rti'o their ""u suD,ly ~ yegs-
tables Their gIrair-l su1rr.ur s'rW7 to ho Ia
the matter "i cold, and fpr tn. a.. wthUrltlss
CHn gNo llillr relief a. tho 'p,I Vus tp be la
tcrna roniined 4" the bono ihs'r"' "' tho cutl-
Gle During the recent cold enr., -uru" Of tho
lepers wore hadI, burned 10. turlr yuu ,rprts 10
keep thcmsrlN"7 warm, lh" oil 'rng IA ihciR
hpnes, no me could r,H "a or vagu thom,
hoSh without fruunE "t WN tiuI. the scuse OF
csso thu ricr, can s,. tnrrlpud. rrd feet in
the hnmot ihvm-,lNta without Ir,|ug pain Cd
being nnl The warmer "r m"' rni"i"r,aW aW".
near llc l,rn,p"r,,ns ,"wr ,r ,,I ..rr.stl" Xxx:
nj "a . IA a. AL ~