The San Francisco call., 1896-06-25
Two of San FranciSco'S Afflicted
Have Already Been
Relieved.
WAS THE WORK OF CHARITY.
Supervisor Benjamin Appeals Sue
cessfully for Funds Through the
Columns of "The Call"

Lying in the Custom-house of this City
awaiting the moving of the rather pom
derous machinery of the import laws are
five meoium-sized but curiousIy marked
packages. The hieroglyphics upon these
packages proclaim them travellers from
the land of the Orient. Amid the strange
Japanese characters is scrawled in Eng
lish, 81. T. Marsh, Importer OF Japanese
Goods, San Francisco" Perhaps in the
vertical rows of Oriental character there is
something that tells the initiate that these
common places appearing packages contain
the one hope of group of most wretched
beings. Perhaps the bare-legged cody, as
be carried these boxes along the narrow
streets of Yokohama, thought of the
trightful misery they were destined to re-
Heve, but to the deckhand' of the Rio
Janelro they were five packages for J. T.
Marsh OF San Francisco. Nothing more.
Many months have gone by since il was
announced through the columns of THE
CALL that there was hope for the lepers
who LEAD a miserable existence a the Citv
Pesthouse, living only that they may
suffer, and having nothing to look for
ward to but increasing suffering with in
creasing years.
Strangely enough it was through one of
the stricken ones that the story of hope
was first made known. Among the in
mates OF the pesthouse were two boys of
English parentage, bet born in Hawaii.
Both boys were sadly afflicted with
leprosy, and on their arrival DR.. George
i. Fitch, an eminent specialist in this
dread malady, informed their father, who
was his friend, that the boys had not many
months to live. Then one of the boys,
Ernest Bindt, told of the wonderful results
WrTk n n L F@llT
remedy used by DR.. Goto, a Japanese,
when Bindt was in Honolulu. he had the
confidence born of despair, that if he
could procure some of this same remedy
he yet might live and overcome his disease.
DR.. Goto was not stranger to DR.. Fitch.
Several years ago when Goto was young
man he came to this City and spent a term
at the Cooper Medical College. Even then
he was specialist in leprosy and diseases
akin thereto, as had been his father and
his grandfather. Goto was himself born
in leprOsy hospital, and had been raised
with the thought that 1t was his mission
III life 10 alleviate the suffering of these
unfortunates, who abound in his native
land. While in San francisco DR.. Fitch,
who had recently returned from laboring
among the lepers of the Sandwich Islands,
met the learned young Japanese student
and became much impressed with his
ability.
Accordingly when Bindt said that DR..
Goto had successfully treated him for
leprosy, DR.. Fitch was inclined TO give the
statement considerable credence, and he
advised the boys father to send for the
remedy. Fifty dollars worth was pro-
cured first from the Goto Hospital in the
suburbs of Yokohama. This proved so
effectual that when 1t was exhausted a
like amount was secured, and by the time
this had been used there was no need of
a, dc 70
toward recovery that under the care of Dr.
Fitch they became strong and healthy in
appearance, save that the fingers of both
lands were drawn close. Both of the
boys were recently declared cured by DR..
Montgomery, and DR.. Fitch comedies in
this verdict. One of them recently es-
capped and is at present earning a mans
wages as a laborer in the country.
When Charles E. Benjamin was elected
to the office of Supervisor he at once
started on a tour OF inspection. The
prisons, the Almshouse and the hospitals
we're all visited by him and in the course
of his duties he examined the Pesthouse.
He was much shocked at its condition,
and he determined to do what he could to
alleviate the sufferings of the inmates. To
this end he has repeatedly striven to have
new pesthouse erected on the Aims
house tract. In this he has failed.
There are fourteen afflicted people
caged up there in a rookerY In which l
would not allow my team to be kept" he
declares, and yet on account OF the op-
position of Mayor Sutro l cannot get
seven votes for the erection of a new pest
house for which the money has been ap-
prOpriated."
While investigating the condition of the
Pesthouse Supervisor Benjamin became
particularly interested in the lepers. Their
utter hopelessness appealed to mis- sympa-
= i roAA - f,,T
lot he one day exclaimed to DIR. Fitch: 'Is
there nothing in the world that could pos
sibly help these poor people?"
'Yes," answered the doctor, "There is
one thing but it would cost some money"
And then he recounted the story of the
Bindt boys cure and of DR.. Goto's marve-
lous remedy.
"If money can procure that remedy"
said the Supervisor, "they shall have it."
1t was not a difficult matter securing
funds to purchase the remedy. a story of
what Dr. Fitch and Supervisor Benjamin
proposed was published in THE CALL and
a subscription hat was opened at its Office.
Other parties started out on a personal
canvass and in day or two the requisite
$500 was raised.
1t is a long way to Japan, and the
philanthropists interested might have
been seriously EN- barrassed had it not
been for the kindly assistance rendered
by J. T. Marsh. Mr.. Marsh volunteered
to see that the purchase was made, and
this he has successfully accomplished.
His services and those of his agents were
donated, and the prompt arrival OF the
remedy is due to his energy.
Although the FIVE packages Of the Goto
remedy arrived by the steamer Rio
Janeiro there is still slight difficulty to
be overcome. The income duty on such
articles is % per cent ad valorem. That
would make duty of $780, upon which the
subscribers have not counted. Supervisor
Benjamin, who was at one time connected
with the Custom house, says be is under
the impression that there is a clause in the
act whereby articles intended for chari-
table use and free dlspensation can be en-
tered free. He intends calling upon Col
lector Wise to-day to see if such clause
can be taken advantage of. sAt any
rate" he says, 'the remedy is here, and
we Will have it in the hands of the Health
Department within ten days. If it is