The morning times., 1896-06-28
L0athsOme Settlement in the
Louisiana SWampS.
HEROIC MEN AND WOMEN
Hundreds OF the Afflicted Live In
the Funeral Village ana Many
Others Hide In the Swamps and
Forest-Strangeand Pat heti Sc enes
Among the Sufferers.
Downright, 1860

| lDtTN LI, Is tiit lboeN ihSidbShp's SSe
ucment in the United States. There are
only two similar settlements in the world
and they are veritable Gehenas. Eacn house
| is in effect tomb and every member OF
these settlemeDis-eXcept the nurses and
| doctors-is slowly but none the less surely
| dying. This a bode OF death in iberville par
| ish is fnown as Indian Camp. is place
of refuge for lepers.
1t is a newly established colony; there is
nothing else like it in the United States
Owing to its isolation and the quiet way
it is managed. the outside world has thus
far heard nothing of it. Its very existence
is kno wn to very few outside those directly
interested and the city and State officials
WHO have been appealed to.
What field for the magazine writer
and novelist in that dreary, death-doomed
colony There are heroes and heroines
there, and life tragedies are enacted al
most daily. One OF the greatest draw backs
which those interested in the success OF
the colony have to contend is the great re-
luctance to becoming IA part of the COM
munIty which the Iepers themselves feel.
This is not because they fear they will not
have the best of care and treatment. but
ID Rather uue 10 tte Wel-kDOWn peCuliiTi-
ties of the disease. which when it once be-
comes established can never he cured.
Tie certain knowledge OF this fact causes
the leper to go as far away from his fel-
lows S possible; and it is said by those in
position To know that of the hundred or
more lepers now in the state of Louisa ma
the majority are now hiding in the dense
woods a nd swamps, far away from all lu-
man habitations. and never leave the &C.
clusion of such retreats except under the
cover OF darkness.
LeprOsy, the most dreaded disease Of
all which afflict the human race has
been prevalent in Louisiana since the
year 1165. II was first brought into the
state, then French colony, by the
French AcadiaD exiles, who settled along
the lower Mississippi river after they were
expelled from Canada by the British. 1t
is only very recently, however, that the
state authorities have taken any active
steps toward suppressing the disease, or
even isolatiDg the afflicted persons. In
deed, there is no law in louisiana which
gives those in charge of the colony at
Indian Camp the necessary police power to
arrest a leper wherever found and isolate
him at the colony, although several at
tempts have been made TO have such law
passed.
or the twenty-seveD iepers now at H.
dian Camp, two are colored and the Others
are white. Eleven are women. OF whom
the youngest is thirteen years Of q agc and
tne Oldest rIty-two. The thirteen year
old girl is sister Of three brothers now at
the same colony, md she also has a cousin
who is u leper, and who is at the same
place.
AT first there was considerable opposiiihn
to the establishing of Il 'eper hospital any
a rn In hs .a.NaN A.
on two occasions the city council nterfr red
when arrangements had been practically
completed for the opening Of such an in,
stitution within the city. Recently. after
great deal Of difficulty, the board of
control consisting of Isidore DYER NJ
D.. president: E. N. Hooper. NJ r.: A. A:
Woods. Allen Jurnel. Henry J. Scberck, N
D.; c. j. Edwards. N. D.. and Albert q.
Phclp-ssecured lease Of what has been
known ever since the war as the Old In
dian Camp Plnnt6ticn. 1t was a typical
southern plantation homestead. about which
were grouped the small cabins which i'm
anti-bellum days served as homes for the
slaves. Now those old negro qua rters have
been completely renovated. They have been
cleaned and painted. made weather proof
and furnished each with an iron cot and
chair, and Il few ether necessary articles
AT 1irst there was much opposition Ia
the opening Of the colony in the parish hut
when the People bc@eu to realize what the
wcrk meant and that the lepcrs Were as
anxious TO bc Isolated as the law was To
have them, prejudice gave way to pity
The first lepers were sent to Indian Creek
on a coal barge. which was towed down the
river by tug at midnight.
Inc tnp was a veritable ride to the
tomb for the unfortunates. They knew
that no cure WIS possible and all they
could hope for was some small mitigation
OF their sufferines for the remnant of
their miserable lives. stunned by all the rest
of the world and deserted even by thrir
nearest relatives and friends Since that
first trip there have been several similar
ones. hut none of these have eurI;il,I that
first one for ghastly novelty.
one can hardly expect an excessive
amount Of happiness TO prevail! at such
afnnercdl spot 3s Indian Camp where every
body rs aware of the fact that everybody
else as well us himself is slowly diving.
yet everything possible is done to divert
the thoughts Of these wretches from their
own condition. In the first place the
Old plantation grounds have been made
as pleasant and cheerful as was possible
1he place has no resemblance to either a
hospital or quarantine station and unless
the observer were previously told of the
real purpose of the place, he would judge
1t To Ge the homeOf some pre- sperous planter
with the cabins of his laborers surround
ing the family residence
Physicians and others who are familiar
WIN lcprosy and the effect which il has
on the victims mind say that when a
knowledge of the fact that he has the
disease first comes upon him, he is, as
rule, so stunned at the thought as TO
appear unable TO fully realize the a wful
ness and the certainty of his fate Tbon
comes forced resignation, or at least
an attempt to accept the inevitable with
,atience That some succeed in this is
shown by the fact that such games as
croquet and handb ball are played at In
iian Camp, and papers and ma gazines are !
eagerly read. Especially when the dis |
ease has so far overcome any patient that |
le is unable to take part in any of the |
rev amuseinents INDUCED in by the other |
patients, the Illustrated periodicals and |
magazines which are each week sent to |
the colony are eagerly looked over. Two |
organs were presented by friends to Indian |
camp, one for use in the chapel, and theoth
for the amusement of the patients, all of
whom seem to appreciate its music,
Doubtless almost every sufferer from this
Tread Eastern scourge could tell an affectipe
tale OF how he first came to realize that he
vas thus doomed to living death Few
,f the patients, however, care to relate
heir experiences, and the few facts known
It each case are only picked up here and
here sitwere by accident. InOneinstance
prominent lawyer, whose brilliancy and
success at the bar won for him reputation
hrougho the country, was made aware
'f lhe FAC THAT he had leprosy by the merest
lcc1dent. He was about to be married |
md was working day and night in order to
ret his affairs into such shape that he |
ould leave them for brief vacation.
As he was working by the light OF
imp one night the shade suddenly broke.
Without thinking that the glass was hot.
e reached out his hand and picked up