The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-02
noRR ABoUr 1rpnosr.
,. aihsrs q Ashuaend Make. = psnsnes -
the Pei,oy or Isointios.

s| the Peiioy or usointtos.
To TINE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: VIII you
permit me once more. II you are not already
tired Of the theme, to refer to the question Of
leprosy and the letter on the subject Of your
correspondent in London, that scat Of obstinate
antagonism to the theory Of contaeion and to
the necessity Of isolation. This letter you pub
lish under the headline, "Leprosy on the Do
cline"
Permit mo to say, as ono of the three origina-
tors OF tho Leprosy Congress tho other two
being DR.. Goldschmidt and DIR. Hansenl, that
leprosy 10 not on the decline. Indeed, tho
congress was called together for that very rea-
son, that leprosy was increasing in cvory coun-
try Of the world, except those whore strict isola-
tion 10 established. Those in which IL has some
what receded are:
Russia, where q Leprosy Commission was. APP
pointed by the Government In 1894. directed by
Drs. Petersen and M1nch. They ordered strict
measures of isolation, and leprosy, which had
up to that time steadily increased. took n step
backward.
Norway, where. in consequence of'a steady
increase. there were in 1856 over $500 lepers.
In that yenr mixed isolation laws were adopted,
with the result that there are now but 700 or
The Sandwich Islands. where leprosy increased
alarminRly until the imperfect isolation laws
were put in force in 1865. It continued to in
iSeoo - wv "a thOh Vh-
forced In 1885. The disease then diminished
Sweden only. in those d~istricts where iepers have
been isolated In hospitals.
adopted leprosy has increased. This is not my
personal opinion alone, 1t Is that of such leprolo-
dd an G 70 MsFeePI Of q M h,seGn, Hsnsan amd 4 ka sMH,
Of Norway. Mouritz OF Hawaii. Kerr of Canton,
MUNRO Of st. Kits. Azuero, Of Colombia. Havel,
burg, AZevedo. Lima, and Moreira of Brazil.
sen q Iceland. Neumann Of Vienna. Max joseph
/ repeat it. The Congress was called not be.
cause leprosy was on the decline, but because 1t
Your correspondent aflrms that the disease is
Infectious. though not contagious. 1t. does not
s sIan ar whether net 9 or yyo onhr eHf 81 ssnnoa len his i a s, physi,
statement that he is not a physician; for what
difference docs it make whether, the disoasc is
infectious or contagious IL we catchitf 1t seems
also that your correspondent has not taken cog
niZance OF the. minutes Of the congress, for the
II. as your correspondent says, the disease ia
not to be considered as contagious, and il, or
by the atmosphere, like smallpox. how is 1t to
be caught at ALT
should like your correspondent to explain
the disease II the latter Is not contagious. Fol
what is the sting but contasioni From contact
The necessity which your correspondent
thinks probable Of repeated contact for infec
s several sS t e%onta plaH9 G Z Tsiil e sG Ss S1P To goar c %ns
s~pondent why, perhaps, several contacts may b
required sometimes.
Your correspondent states that the congress-
declared leprosy to be q bacillary disease. Tn,
contagion, therefore, means the passage OF tn,
bacilli from the diseased to the healthy body
Fol. this to take place there must be on thu
healthy point Of contact q ready entrance,
broken skin. Through this breach the enem!
will penetrate. but no Is not likely to wait unit
he has been brought several times In front Of II
Now. It, Is possible that many contacts hay,
taken place at that same spot when 1t was still
sound; but the first contact after 1t presents
hiatus means conta Rion.
1 will wind up with some general considera
tions. The Berlin Leprosy Congress had for 1t
object to bring to the attention OF every Gov
ernment tho danger existing to tho public Ia
day, and to devise measures to prevent the dis
ease from spreading and inoculating new coun
tries. Hansen thought that 1t was sufficient I
state clearly how matters stand now to shoy
what measures are necessary to stem the cuI
rent Of the plague. and then let the nations &C
independently on the principles proclaimed
Should such action not follow, an internationn
treaty might be proposed and worked for. Cole
schmidt and / were for an international agree
ment at once, to decree measures for conpu
sorry isolation. However, the congress adopte
the more expectant views Of Hansen.
I myself do not think that the leprosy prof.
lem will ever be solved without internations
agreement and conventions. Left independent
any regard to science, and each is likely to cove
itself with q glory not dissimilar to that a
which the Board of Health of New York seem
to have aimed since Dec. % Of last year.
ALBERT 8. AsHMEAD, M. D.
New YORK, Oct. 81.