The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-09
MAN UTTERLY STUNNED
0WENsvILLE THOUGHT WILLIAM
DEAL, LABoRER, WAS A LEPER.
Dr.. A. w. Brayton Found Him Merely
Suffering with a Somewhat Com
mon Skin AiIment.

Owensville. Gibson county. can breathe
easy, for the war between the physicians
is settled. and William Deal, a resident Of
that town. is not a leper. Owensville has
been in the throes of a panic for several
days. Some tire ago one of the physicians
there stated that Deal had lsprosy because
of white spots on his body. and because his
hair came out. Deal was a day laborer, but
no one has been willing to employ him, and
he has been an outcast. Some of the
men associated with him. but women and
children fed when he came along the street.
and be was even refused permission to
drink water from the town pump. His
family was Stunned and Deal has been bav-
ing a hard time of It. One OF the physicians
of the town. DR.. Moore, has contended all
along that the man did not have leprosy
and DIR. Burton, county health officer,
agreed with him. Deal could not get shaved,
and the barber shop which he formerly
patronized has been boycotted by many of
the old customers. The victim Of all this
lived practically alone.
The citizens Of Owensville took sides, but
those on Deals side were pitifally small
in number and the most extreme measures
were suggested. The people Of the town
NOEheu themselves Up 10 SuCA Oil CAtNhN
that a report was finally made to the State
Board of Health and DR.. A. W. Brayton,
an expert in dermatology. was sent down
Saturday to make an investigation He re-
turned yesterday. highly amused over the
situation as he found it. The physicians
who insisted that Deal was suffering from
ieprosy based their opinion on the white
spots on his body and the fact that his
hair has come out. Otherwise Deal is
healthy, and a fine specimen of manhood.
DIR. Brayton said yesterday that he had ex-
amined him thoroughly and found that he
had probably thirty or forty of these spots
on his body, but every spot is sensitive.
whereas in leprosy the white spots are abb
solutely devoid OF all feeling and the leper
cannot tell when a needle or pin is stuck
into one of the white spots. In Deals case
these spots are as sensitive as the other
parts OF the skin. So far as the hair fall
ing out is concerned DIR. Brayton says that
one OF the marked characteristics of leprosy
Is an unusually shaggy and heavy growth
or hair. LeproSy never affects the scalp.
He says that there is no doubt whatever
but that Deal has leucoderma, a disease of
the skim. which causes these white spots
and which Is a common affection. The dis
ease is not contagious and the spots do not
become sore or bother the patient. The fall
Ing out OF the hair is due TO a disease called
alopecia. Deal had typhoid fever some time
ago, when his hair came out, and later he
had pneumonia. Loss of hair is in no way
connected with leprosy nor is II a symptom
of leprosy.
The most unfortunate part Of the affair is
the life that Deal has been compelled TO
lead; He has been ostracised, as was the
family Of his brother, with whom he lived.
He is dependent on his labor for a living
and has been unable 10 secure any work
because of the report started that he had
leprosy. DR.. Brayton said there was no
danger from the man at all and that he
would be willing to sleep with him. He so
informed the people of Owensville. Deal has
been restored to public favor and the war
between physicians has ended. DIR. Brayton
said that by reason of the suffering Deal
was subjected TO because Of his affiiction
the money expended for the Investigation
was well spent.