The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-18
FOUR LEpERS AT LARGE.
WHOLE COLONY LEAVES NORTH
BROTHER ISLAND AT WIGHT.

BROTHER ISLAND AT MIG lit.
Practically Told They Wight Go. and n B"at
LEFT Mt Hand suEEcstiveis-Tho Strange
Outcomo OF n Controversy Between tho
Local aud Federal Health Onlciais.
1t became known yesterday that the entire
lcpor colony on North Brother Island vanished
on Thursday night. Although the discovery
WAS originally made at breakfast time on Friday
morning. the matter was kept quiet by the Of
hciRls in charge OF tho island. Tho colony con-
sisted OF four lcpers, two negroes. ono China
man. and n Swcde.
The negroes were Philip Sydney, AZ years old.
and William Bryan, % years old. They had
been on tho island eight months. The China
man was Ling Ching, 81 years old, and the
Swcde William Fleming, 40 years old. Tho
Swede and the Chinaman had been on the ISL
and two years.
The entire party lived in n cottage on the
south shore of tho island, and were cared for
by tho officials OF the Department OF Health.
Tho local health authorities contcnded all along
that 1t was the duty of the Federal Government
to look after tho lcpcrs. On the other hand, tho
Government officials maintained that the lepers
should be cared for by the local Board of
Health.
While the city and Federal officials have been
ulspulilb uUOuL IL IldlttT, II IltIllutTb VI lho
lepcr COLONY claimed that they were being neg
lected; that they were compelled to fish for
their daily food in tho waters OF the East River.
1t was only n few days ngo that the lcpcrs held
n meeting on the island and passed resolutions
dcnouncing tho Health Board and Government
officials. At this meeting Sydney, tho negro.
who was the poet laureate OF the colony, read n
lengthy poem entitled "Brotherly Love" An
address to the health authorities was then pre-.
$500 ~
from the poem:
Ono touch OF nature makes the whole world kin;
One touch OF lcprosy has made us brothers.
The lcpers ended their address by complaining
Of the food served to them and also Of other mat
tors. DIR. George II. Fowler. the state repre-
sentative In III" Health Board. and DR.. Benedict.
the Superintendent of the Department OF Conta-
gious Diseases. went over to the island ON
Thursday for the purpose OF investigating the
matters complained OF.
gave them to understand that II they did not
like the treatment they were receiving, they
could get new quar- ers. A rowboat had been
left. either carclcssly or carefully. near tho
leper colony. SO late that night the lcpcrs rowed
On Friday morning DR.. Bryant. the resident
physician on North Brother Island, received n
note evidently written by the poet laureate
Sydney. II read:
DEAR DoCToRi We have gone fishing for a day. and
WILLIAM BRYAN.
WILLIAM FLEMING.
In speaking of the exodus last night Commits
sioneT Fowler said:
away at midnight. II they are in the city it
will not make much difference to any one, for
tasions. These are our views on the matter.
and they are backed up by last years report of
the Health Dep.riment, which is ms follows:
in the United States was brought before the
Medical Society OF tho County of New York.
n 1hs ssn 70 t ana M I rSpaIFt s sas made az ,b by 1 oaa.s sSa Of
New York, as follows:
ITO the Medical Society er the County " Nep York.
report upon the contaeiousness Of ieprosy in
Now York city. and the importance Of its scgrc-
S" "'It is sag agreed that icpTo.y is ssp pTobSSl ;yo'aaTn"i IN.
fictitious disease, A disease. though infectious.
is not necessarily CONTAGIOUS. L. certain re-
regions the disease is apparently communicated
Rious. though the mode Of contagion is UNI
".There are other regions to which lepers
migration. and in which numbers OF them have
lived for comparatively long periods. and
yet afford no evidence whatever of any ten
den y TO propagation OF the disease. The
same exposure through the introduction am
suniced 10 cause a rapid and extensive spread
of leprosy. in other places, though oft repeated
ana long continued. mas never produced any ap-
preeisbiec effect Injurious to the public health.
Such favored regions comprise most OF the moro
h lhst Y s SSjGR ed Parts of the globe including
1t would appear, therefore, that other con-
ditions than that of mere proximity are essen
tial before leprosy can be accounted a conta-
gious disease. What these other conditions
are, whether they relate to location, soiI,
is unknown. but, with little doubt. il
Is because Of their absence that this and
remained exempt from any prevalence OF
leprosy. Judging from long experience of the
past. whatever prospective danger there may
Be from his source. 4 is OF such as to create
alarm. and is certainly not imminent.
lin regions whe Q the disease is apparently
on the increase through the development of new
cases, not exotic. it is u menace to the general
S Sna propor. H To a sfepef ihe prin mGS &c OF }l" sesrsS.'
ton here. and to apply IL ind criminnte to all
part OF tho authorities who should carry
1t out, t%antamount to proc.aiming the existence
reality tho danger is slight, and, by so much,
would create an alarm that Is unnecessary and
and its victims that is already excessive.
The indiscrimin9te enforcement OF this
injury upon many lepcrs, especially to such as
are SO circumstanccd as to be independent Of
believe that In such cases confinement to a
leprosary would cause the disease to pursue a
less favorable course than II would pursue were
the patient not deprived OF his liberty.
"'As TO whether INDECENT lepers. dependent
upon public charity, should ne accorded tho
same privileges in general institutions as are
given to patients with other chronic infectious
diseases, or should be assigned exclusively to an
institution set apart for them. is u question of
expediency which our municipal authorities
must decide.
"'Inasmuch as lepcrs are not desirable ad-
ditions to IL community and are liable to become
n public charge. your committee deems II ex-
pedient that tho Quarantine and Immigration
authorities should exercise their authority as
far as possible TO exclude al such cases.
"'Rcspectfnlly ubmiticd.
"'GEoRGE HENRY Fox. NJ. D.,
"'H. q. PIFFARD. NJ. d.,
"'E. II. BRONSON, VI. d.,
"a. A. SMITH, NJ. d.,
"'GEORGE b. FOWLER, NJ. D., Chairman"
Or. Fowler said that under no circumstances
.uonll no nllnIu hIn hnnrlnrR tn naInrn u Ia a