The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-10-01
CONGRESS OF LEPROG|STS.
INTERESTING LETTER FROM NEW
YORK ON THE PROF ECT.
Desire to Hold an International Con-
vention-- Importance Norway and
Russia.
llllssin.

Russia.
At the session of the Board of
Health held Wednesday afternoon a
letter from DR.. Albert 5. Ashmead of
New York on the subject of lep-
rosy congress, of which extensive
mention was made here and in Amer
lea about six months ago, was read.
The Board requested that the letter
be published. AS there is u growing
sentiment in favor of inviting the
Congress to meet in Honolulu, es-
pecially as such ain invitation was So
licited from this Government before
Norway was suggested. the matters
contained in the letter cannot but
prove of general interest. The letter:
Dear Sir-D. Goldschmidt. late of
Madena, now at Paris, in letter to
me. last December, proposed that
Congress of leprogists should be held
for the suppression and prevention of
] d
| Armauer Hansen. I referred to this
proposition and suggested the form
! alton of an international committee,
one delegate from each government.
to be permanently active, to meet
once year, and to take cognizance of
all questions and problems relating to
leprosy. all over the world. | also
suggested the collection of a fund, in
every country, for the use of this com
mittee, to support asylums, where
such help is wanted, and to send spec
ialists wherever they are needed. DR..
Hansen at once received these over
lures with favor and submitted them
to his chief, who, in turn, communi-
Gated them to the Norwegian Govern
ment. In his answer to me DR.. Han
sen said that it was the desire of the
Norwegian physicians that the seat OF
the first leprosy congress should be
Berger, Norway, and that the Nor
wegian Government was willing to is
sue the call for the first leprosy con-
gress, provided it had assurances OF
sympathy from other governments
at once applied to President Cleveland
to Her British Majesty, to the EN-
of Mexico, to Lord Aberdeen of Can
ada, to the japanese and Chinese Gov
ernments, and tosall the Republics OF
South America. | also submitted this
scheme to the American Dermatolog
zeal Association, to the American Pub
lie Health Association (of Canada, the
United States and MeXico), and tC
Miss Clara Barton, the President OF
the American Red Cross Society. II
, is to be communicated also to the
Pope through Archbishop Corrigan
1t is desired that every influence tha
may exist, of any kind, be brought t.
bear upon the different government
: so that they may consent to appoin
official delegates. OF course leprogist
in their private capacity, or as repre-
sentatives of associations, will b.
united, and are expected to attend
egates. will be exclusively concerned
with the PRONUNCIATION and applica
4 ton of laws suitable to the suppress
4 sion and prevention of leprosy in eacl
Z country, leaving the discussion o
4 questions of etiology, bacteriology
: cure, etc, to the specialists. This j
submitted by me to Dr. Goldschmidt
Z Dr. Goldschmidt, in his reply, has sue
Z gested that Moscow be the seat @
4 congress, as the international Cor
= gress is to meet there next year. Thi
: is open to the following objections
& Ist-If the leprosy congress is held i
q Moscow, along with the regular Ii
Z ternational Congress, it will of nece'
Y sity fall into position of secondary il
p fluence, aud will be in fact only sec
q ton of the General Congress. 2nd.-
). Hansen is entitled to claim the frs
q leprosy congress, he being the dis
q coverer of the lepro bacillus. 3rd.-
Z The Norwegian government havin
4 been the first to express willingness
= to issue the call (Which should be is
:. sued by government, not by ind
\ viduals), is entitled to the honor. Att
a If the congress is now taken to Mos
=" cow, after the Norwegian physician
= have expressed desire to have it i
Norway, before even Moscow wa
suggested, the Norwegian physician
will certainly take offence; a lepros
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