The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-04-15
vAR|OLOD ON THE REEF THE IEPROSY QUESTION
WHO Is GOING TO REPRESENT HA-
WAII At COMING CONGRESS?
The Names of Medical Men Acquainted
with the Subject and Who Can Talk
With Famed Experts.

Who will go to the leper Congress
to represent the Hawaiian Govern
ment?
There is nobody knows this for GER
tain yet, but then Dame Rumor has
associated the names of two or three
learned physicians with this honor.
There is hardly practicing physi-
clan in Hawaii who does not know
more or less about the terrible leprosy,
so out of the excellent field that this
Government viii have to pick from,
will be selected who will well repre-
sent Hawaii.
DR.. Alvarez is frequently spoken of.
He is now in charge of the expert
mental station at Kalihi and is doing
excellent service there. DR.. Alvarez
has devoted twelve years to the study
of leprosy in various countries, includ-
ing Cuba, Germany, England, United
States, Japan and Hawaii. He also
took six months course in the John
Hopkins institute in the United
States. This institute is on an equal
footing with the greatest institutions
of the kind in Germany.
DR.. Myers may be the lucky one.
DR.. Wood and DR.. Day have been men
to Dr. Herbert, DR.. Howard, DR.. Emer-
son or others in Honolulu.
At any rate the leprosy committee of
the Board of Health will make the
recommendation to the Government
whom to delegate on this important
mission. The Board of health has al
ready requested the Cabinet to have
Hawaii represented at this gathering
of renowned specialist on leprosy
from all parts of the world.
The leprosy committee, composed of
DR.. Wood, chairman; DR.. Myers, score
tary; DR.. Emerson, corresponding sec
retary; DR.. Herbert, DIR. Howard and
DR.. Day, held a meeting recently to
discuss the leprosy congress. DR.. AL
varez was instructed to write to I. the
promoters of the congress for the full
est particulars. When these have ar
rived, which will be in May, the COM
mittee, will then suggest Hawaii's del
egate.
The information at hand pertaining
to the leper conference is meager as
yet. 1t will be held in Berlin in
October. The original intention was
to hold the conference in Bergen, Nor
way. Dr. Holmboe, at the invitation
of DR.. Goldschmidt, submitted the
plans to his Government, but before
the Norwegian Government could issue
the invitation, it was necessary to OBJ
tain general opinion of the leading
leporologists. \ provisional committee
was formed of Drs. Goldschmiut, Han
sen and Ashmead. In determining the
seat of the congress there was a di
vergence of opinion Some were fol
Bergen. others for London. Moscow
was proposed also, especially as there
was to be there a general medical con
gress.
Suddenly DR.. Ehlers. "A noted author
ity on leprosy. started IA committee. o.
his own. \ committee was formed
and Berlin chosen for the place o.
meeting The Bergen congress has
now been called off, so it is under
stood here in Hawaii, and the two
have united.
DR.. Ashmead writes to Htolulu ply
scians stating that he is desirous OF
having official delegates from every
Government, to meet at stated inter
walls, who will form IA permanen
worlds committee on leprosy.
The leprosy disease now afflicts owe
a million human beings. The promot
ers of the Bergen congress, which wa
pulled off, say that their idea has al
ways been that the only way to com
bat and eventually destroy the dread
full scourage was the isolation of lep
ers, enforced by law. In one genera
ton, leprosy not being hereditary, tn
victory would be complete. They in
sist that there is no remedy for tn
! disease. Xperimentation for twenty
five years has resulted in nothing. DI
, Ashmead continues in his letter: "Th
disease is certainly contagious, AM
6 spreads only by contagiou, directly .
indirectly. Therefore isolation alon
; can conquer, and no learned talk, n
amusing communications or expert
ments, are of any use. Any mal VIII
really as IA physician and philar
3 thropist wants truly to fight "a
, dreadful enemy, must stand for isC
lation. Salaries may be gained, hig
positions may be occupied, comm'.
sionships may be enjoyed the homo
. of being sent as delegates to c1ntel
n