The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-02-22
A STATES WAY
Manner Of Handling the L6paTS
Of Louisiana.
MENTION MADE OF HAWAII
Home on Leased Cround-WIthin a
Stockade - Some Difficult
ties Set Forth.


expire IN a short time. and the State I
will again be brought face 10 face with /.
the question OF what 10 do with the
lepers. The J.midity OF the State in T.
dealing with the question is responsible |
in part for the continuance OF the dis |
ease. Drastic measures. such as have
been adopted in Hawaii and other
countries where leprosy prevails.
would, it IS believed. have routed &c
from the State long ago. As II is. lep-
rosy has fingered in Louisiana for a
century and a quarter.
The report OF the Board OF Control
to Governor Foster shows that Louis
lana Will be entirely unprepared 10 care
for the inmates OF the Indian Camp
Home upon the expiration OF the lease.
II will be impossible 20 secure re-
newal of the lease because OF public
prejudice in Iberville parish. where
the home is situated. and the bitter
opposition of the neighboring prosper
Gus town of Whitecastle ~ same
opposition will be encountered in ether
parishes where the State may try to
Establish a home for lepers. The Board
has frequently called the attention OF
the Legislature TO the matter. pointing
properly for a home and not depend
upon lease; but the Legislature has
always lodged the unpleasant question.
Whether the failure OF the State TO act
will result in turning the lepers loose
on the community. or whether they
will remain where they are until they
can be removed elsewhere. cannot now
be determined. No one Is likely 10
venture on the place to remove them
as tresp9sSers. II is possible that they
will find another home through the
charity of friends, for they have re-
ceivsd many gifts and legacies from all
parts Of the country. and there is an
auxiliary association OF women in
New Orleans who look after and care
for these unfortunate people.
The present home was established in
1892 when Louisiana seemed to be
aroused to the Importance OF dealing
with the problem OF leprosy. Ii had
previously been regarded as a subject
10 be avoided. the mere mention Of
which was thought TO be prejudicial 20
| the interests OF the State. For more
than century since Carondelet's r.
gime under the Spanish domination
the leper question had been ignored.
and it was agreed not to Recognize the
existence Of the disease. But in 1892
owing to the unpleasant publicity that
had been given the disease. through
the discovery of a leper barber and a
leper baker. the necessity OF action
was recognized by all. The Legisla-
ture provided for a home. but unfor-
tUnately appropriated only enough
money TO lease one, not enough to buy
one, and passed an act which provided
penalties for harboring lepers and re.
quired sheriffs TO deliver such unfor.
ltunates TO the house when so ordered
by the district judge. The first ids,
was 10 establish the home in the out
skirts OF New Orleans. where better
medicinal attendance could be provid
ed; but the city protested so loudly tina
this plan was abandoned. The Boar,
OF Control kept its subsequent plan
secret to prevent similar protests from
the parishes. and il was not until th
Indian Camp plantation had best
leased that the location determined oi
was made known.
The Ieper home is admirably sltult
ed. 1t covers 200 acres OF an old plan
Jation in Iberville parish. on the Mis-
sissippi. seven miles from a railroa
and two miles from whitecastIs. on IN
opposite side of the river. The lsper
are confined within a high stockad
surrounding a space OF fifteen acre.
Within the stockade are seven house
occupied by the lepers. an elevate
pavilion or lookout for their amuss
ment. and a splendid grove of l!y
oaks. On the other side OF a fence
the direction OF the main plartati1
building Is a long raised cottage. e
pecialiy constructed for the lsps-
dining hall, kitchen and other Office
, No one is allowed inside the Inn,
leper stockade except the doctor. d
\ nurses and the members of the Boar
u OF control.
The home is admirably managed
ali respects. and the greatest care
taken 10 prevent any spread OF the di
ease. All money handled by the lepe
is soaked in bichloride OF mercury :
luton and fumigated with the stron
D.. est disinfectanJs. The site j. heal-hf
and isolated. There Is an old-tiu
5. plantation mansion, an immense bri,