The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-08-01
DIR. THOMPSON AND
HIS EXPERIENCE.
Visit to Honolulu in Search Of
information.
A Colonial PLY SicianS Views of Health
Situation on Hawaii-Speaks Highly
of His Treatment - Was Pleased
With Molokaf and the Islands.

The Sydney Telegraph of May 80 pub
fishes the following interview with DR..
Ashburton Thompson, who visited the
Islands the first of the year to make in
vestigations on the subject of leprosy:
DR.. Ashburton Thompson, chief med
ical officer to the Board of Health, has
for years occupied himself largely with
the question of leprosy, not merely in
the clinical, hospital fashion, but on the
scientific side, as a question of causa-
ton, spread, etc., and has just returned
from a visit to Honolulu, where he
made exhaustive inquiries into the sub
ject as it is dealt with in those Islands.
His trip was undertaken purely for
private reasons. He had been working
hard for some time without a spell, and
was very much knocked up with the
cilities it afforded for short sea trip
and it's opportunities for making fur
ther studies on the subject upon which
he is a recognized authority. Indeed he
ton to the History of Leprosy in Aus
traIia," which deals more completely
with this disease than any previous
work 1t is the first time that the lep-
rosy question at Honolulu has been
done by a medical man of note, and
considerable interest attaches to the
results of his observations. Last night
a representative OF the Daily Telegraph
waited upon the doctor at his residence
and had chat with him ON the subject
He was met with the greatest kind
ness by those in authority on the ISL
ands. He was allowed to go where he
liked, photograph what he fancied-for
the doctor took his camera and a big
batch of plates with him-and speak to
the natives to his hearts content. He
called upon the British Commissioner
when he arrived, and the next day was
presented to His Excellency the Min
lister of Foreign Affairs, Judge Cooper,
who introduced him to the Attorney
General-ex-offi president of the
Board of Health. He received very
great attention from them as we'll as
their officers, and picked up a great
prove Of value to himself and the gen
eral public. He looked up their rec
ords, spoke with the oldest inhabitants,
and judged for himself what was GER
tain and what mere speculation among
all the items of information we have re-
ceived from time to time with regard to |
the leprosy epidemic in Hawaii.
The leper settlement of the group. |
which is situated on Molokai Island. |
was established 81 years ago and now
contains about l. 400 patients. The place
is eminently suited for a leper settle |
ment 1t contains two villages, KaIau-
papa and kalawaO, where the lepers
live just as in their own little hamlets. |
There are two homes or hospitals. |
In one of them the female lepers who
are either very far advanced in the dis |
ease or who have no relatives to look
after them are housed. They have about |
1O5 inmates now, chiefly young women.
who are under the care of the Francis |
can Sisters, who have been working
there since 1885. In the boys home for
patients similarly situated there are
rather more than 100 inmates. This is
also under the care of the Franciscan
Sisters and a lay brother. The girls
home is called Bishops Home. 1t was
started by the munifcence of Mr..
Bishop, leading banker of the group. |
The boys home was started by Father
Damien.
Dr. Thompson, who is accustomed to |
making inspections, says these two
homes are run in a way that leaves
nothing to be desired The patients
seem quite happy and contented. They
nave their own band of nine perform |
ers and play remarkably weIl-better. |
IN fact, than the town band, which is |
composed of whites and Hawaiians.
Near Honolulu they have what they |
call receiving station for the recep- |
ton of suspects. That is at Kalihi. |
There are divisions for men and wom- |
en-, under observation, and correspond |
ing divisions for those who are ready |
for deportation. Thirdly, on the same |
estate is a home for girls who are not |
lepers but are the children of lepers !