The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-10-08

1895. The crusades are credited with
semination of this terrible disease. for
Gurins this period it made rapid strides
throughout Europe. In 1926 we hear of
the existence of 1000 leper hospitals in
France alone.
The number OF leper houses in Eu-
rope was estimated by Mathew Paris
at the terrible total of 10000, while it is
certain that between the first leper
house built and the year 1472 no less
than l12 institutions were built in this
country. The leper houses of the mid
die ages were fo.' the most part re-
ligous, and dedicated to st. Lazarus.
In the eye of the law the leper was
dead. The church adopted the same
view, and read the burial service to the
poor unfortunate on the day of his
removal to the lazar house. This was
perhaps scarcely less charitable than
the modern act of reading tn. burial
service to a condemned man on the
scaffold, but the church in those days
went further-it threw a shovelful Of
earth over the poor wretch as a SYM
Dol of the grave that was yawning for
him.
The leperc wore a special costume,
usually long gray gown with a hood
drawn over the face. Instead of the
heartrending Jewish cry, "unclean, un-
Clean" the medieval leper announced
his approach by means of wooden clap
rers.
From the year 1920 there was a de-
Cided decrease in the number of icpers
in England. A commission appointed
in the reign of Edward w reported
that few lepers remained in any of the
lazar houses. Before Henry VIII came
to the throne leprosy had practically
| disappeared and Italy and France saw
the last of the scourge about the same
time.
In Norway, Ireland and Russia a
trace of this medieval blight is found
today, while ii fingered in the Shetland
Isles until the close of the last century
| Rare cases are also found in Portugal,
| Spain, Turkey and Greece at the rres-
eIt time. While the disease was thus
[ dying out Of Europe isolation was
everywhere strictly enforced.
| Leprosy followed the Chinese emigra-
ton into America, appearing as far
east as Chicago. In South Africa and
Australia it is encountered. The dis
case was carried into the Sandwich
islands in 1850, and has been spreading
with alarming activity. 1t is rampant
| in the Hawaiian islands, where the
immortal Father Damien went to min
lister relief to the lepers, and who by his
death has left monument of devotion
that will lest for all time.
| 1t is a curious fact that leprosy
among the lower animals is unknown,
and this renders any demonstration OF
the bacillus extremely difficult.
In man. however. the disease has
been communicated in this manner.
Keanu, a Hawaiian criminal, preferred
having portion Of a leprous tufcrcle
grated beneath the skin of his left arm
rather than suffer death on the scat
fold Members of Keanus family were
leprous, but he himself had given no
indication Of the disease. In six
months leprosy developed, and in six
years the man was dead.
The cause of the disease is little
known, but qualified observers believe
II to be strongly hereditary. Some
think that fish food, especially when
salted or decomposed is the main
cause of its origin. Dirt and bad sani.
tation are, Of course, favorable to its
growth. But whatever the cause, lei
us be thankful for its departure from
these islands