The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-07-09
LEPER IN THIS CITY
Jasper Joy Suffering From
the Last Stages of the
Dread Disease.
PRACTICALLY IMPRISONED FOR LIFE
Lives All Alone In One Room on
Palisade AveRue-Some Say He
Has Eczema.
PRACTICALLY IMPRISONED FOR LIFE


A leper, suffering from the disease in
its tubercular form. is living in one OF
the most desirable residential sections OF
this city. There is no Board OF Health
notice on the door of the house in wnich
he lives; no sign of 'Unclean' to denote
that the dread disease IS present Ihe
next door neighbor knows nothing OF It,
The fact of the matter is that all con-
nected with the case have used every
endeayor to keep rhe knowledge of 1t
from the public. 1t became known to
reporter for THE News who has in
vestigated it and found It to be one OF
the most remarkable cases of leprosy on
record. 1t has proved ~perplexing prob
lem to some of the highest authorities
on the disease and IS now proving
fruitful case for study to a number of
able local physicians. The majority OF
physicians who are learned in skin dis
eases hold that leprosy is not con-
tag.ous disease, and the same opinion is
held by the doctors who have the pres
ent case in charge therefore no attempt
has been made TO Isolate the patient from
the habitations of other human beings
In New York City a different rule OBJ
tains and the health officers take charge
of all who are afflicted with leprosy and
send them to the lepers' colony on North
Brothers Island. 1t is. therefore, lucky
for the unfortunate in this instance that
he is in this city.
The victim of the dreadful malady is
Jasper Joy. who was employed up to
the time when he could no longer work,
as motorman on the North Hudson
County Railway He is confined in
lars ON ha floor of the
two-story and basement frame house at
No. 1873 Palisade avenue, corner of Laid
law avenue. The apartment is the largest
in the house, is light and airy and is so
situated that view of the Hudson River
for several miles in either direction can
be had as well as a fine view of the New
York bay and harbor. A more pleasant
and delightful spot could not have been
chosen for an invalid, but the poor suf-
ferer who is confiened there is not in a
condition to appreciate the beauties of the
Hudson or enjoy the cool hreezes from
the bay. He is in constant agony and
realizes that there is little relief that
can be afforded him this side of the
grave. He knows that he must remain
prisoner in that room until death ends
his terrible suffering. Those who are
acquainted with him say that he bears
his affliction with perfect resignation and
endures the most excruciating pain in
manner that is truly marvellous His
anguish of mind must be nearly as great
as his bodily pain. His faithful wife has
stood by him nobly through all his
trouble and is in constant attendance up
on him. While he is able to see her and
talk to her, however he cannot go any
nearer to her than across the room. 1t
is SO with all other human beings. While
living amongst them he must remain
apart from them. So loathsome has the
disease made him that even the doctor,
who used to treat him as he did other
patients and dress his sores,s hesitates
now about approaching him Every thing
that is necessary to be done around the
room he does himself. Those friends VINO
still visit him are only permitted to step
lust inside the door, while he sits at the
other end of the room His food is
placed on a table inside the door where
he can get it. He washes his own dishes,
makes his own bed and does all his own
housework He lives solitary NE,
coming in contact with no one.
Mrs. JOY. it is said, is a complete wreck
ton. She has never deserted him for
aav and the people who live in the house
with her risay that the strain is telling on
her and she will not be able to keep up
much longer. The Joys live on the up-
per f1oor while the lower part of the
house is occupied by its owners.a German
couple, who evidently have no fear Of
leprosy. What their names are could
not be learned as they refused to tell and
the doctor did not know. Joy is re-
ceiving the very best of medical attend
anee. despite the fact that he is penni-
less, the little money he had saved hav-
ing been spent long ago He is a mem
ber of Rathbone Lodge, Knights of
Fythias and Alpine Lodge of Odd Fellows
The Odd Fellows and Pythians are taking
care of him and are leaving no stone un-
turned in their efforts to improve his
condition and make him comfortable. Dr.
Henry, the Odd Fellows physician visits
him occasionally, by order of the lodge.
but DR. Putnam of Sip avenue, is the reg
uiar attending physician He calls twice
aSweek and sees that the leper IS sup
piled with the necessary drugs and oint-
rnents He was seen by a News" re-
porter last night and talked freely re-
garding the case.
tubercular form of leprosy and he has it
in its worst stages His is the most
extreme case of the. disease have ever
heard of. ] wish you could see a picture
of him as he looks today. He has been
photographed and copies of the picture
are in the hands of a. number of ply
sicians.S He is a hideous sight. One
would scarcely imagine a human being
could be deformed and distorted to the
extent he is and live His whole body
from the top of his head to his toes. is
covered with ulcers and nodules, varying
in size from a pea to- an orange. His
body is mass of sores, and as for
his head it is unrecognizable. No one
would know it as the head of man
The ncse is dilated so that 1t stretches
to the point of either cheekbone, and the
lips are terribly swollen and extend over
two inches beyond the mouth. He is a
young man, having celebrated his thirty
sixth birthday one day this week. He
has been suffering from the leprosy for
about two years, + Though ne did not
know that long ago what allied him.
have treated him on and off all the time
he has been Affected. My attention was
first attracted to fhim at a lodge meet
ing. two years ago, when he came to me
and said:-fSay Hoctor, what's good for
saltrreum?' / told him some simple rem
edies and thought nothing more of him
lIrtil he came to me again short time
after and asked me to call on him and
see his legs I found them covered with
what appeared to be eczema On my
advice he went to the Skin and Cancer
Hospital in New York. where he was
&. freafed for seven months. under DR.. Fox
n covered with