The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-07
LEPDRS IN TIE COLONIES
General MacArthur's Project in
the Philippines.
Plans to Isolate Them. and Thus
stamp Out che Disease - Third
Where the Malady Is Prevalent
How the Scourge Affects Its Victim

The news that leprosy has become SO
prevalent among the Filipinos that an iso-
lation colony is demanded, has caused
much interest in army circles. Surgeon
General Sternberg has received no official
information touching on General MacAr-
thurs purpose of putting all the sufferers
on one small island. Only the press re-
ports, therefore. are available in regard to
the project officials are waiting with
some anxiety to learn from General Mac
Arthur how widespread the plague may
have become among the Filipinos. They
are likewise interested in the colony pro-
ject.
1t would be the third pest place of the
kind under the American flag, and all three
have been added in the spread OF the
country during the past two years. The
largest and more important is the colony
at Molokoi, in Hawaii, which was given
world wide fame by the work there of Fa-
Their Damien. The second is near the city
Of Havana, where about seventy Cuban
sufferers are in strict isolation. General
AacArthur's isolation colony in the Phil
ippines would make the third. A few cases
have been discovered at wide intervals in
America among the Chinese on the Pacific
Coast, but immediate isolation has always
made possible the checking of the plague.
The six widespread cases of smallpox
in mild form which was prevalent all over
the country last winter have been traced to
the infection brought by returned Philip
pine volunteers. That epidemic was one
OF the most comprehensive of recent years.
for the soldiers who come back from Man
lila reached every section of the country.
The possibility that the &C, COO men now on
the islands may bring back leprosy is
causing some anxiety. Army officers are
commenting General MaeArthG-'s prudence
in taking steps to keep the lepers to
themselves. Thus far no cases Of the
plague among Americans in the Islands
have been reported. That fact, however,
does not argue anything, for the disease
is slow to develop. and during the hrst
months or years of its existence 1t may
hardly be noticeable. The awful rayages
occur in its later stages when the horrors
of a living death are present in their most
grewsome fe IA.
1t has been known for years that leoprosy
exists among the Filipinos who, like all
people living in tropical isles, are pecu-
liarly liable to it. The same ignorance
of the islands true extent, which has made
lation. has made it out of the question to
guess at the number OF lepeTs. without
doubt however. there are hundreds, and
probably thousands Of them scattered
throughout the villages OF the archi-
pelago.
"orientals. with whom the hideous spec
tacle of the afflicted ones is common
sight. have no difficulty in detecting the
sufferers whenever the disease has devel-
oped With the Americans, however, 1t
is different. Never having seen one. the
Yankee soldier is Unable to avoid the
lepers when he meets them, and there is
reason to believe that the natives will go
to no pains in warning the army people.
It is not unlikely that among the $4,000
soldiers now there some at least have con-
tracted the disease.
The comforting thought in connection
with the plague is that only personal con-
tact will ordinarily cause Infection
Leprosy is not contagious in the same way
as diphtheria or smallpox. On that ac-
count such q thing as an epidemic is i'm
possible Like all ether loathsome dis
cases. il is largely a product OF filth, and
il has little foothold among people who
observe personal cleanliness. 1t is es-
sentiaily a tropical plague and 1t is as
crited to the use Of insufficier- vegetable
food and semi-putrid meats or fish. In
deed. fish in any form aggravates leprosy.
and that fact partly accounts for its prev
alence among the Filipinos, who are lib
eral eaters of water food.
General MacArthur's chief task will be
in locating his sufferers. There are plenty
of small islands in the archipelago which
could be easily transformed into colony.
Once placed there nothing awaits them
but death. Medical science has as yet
found nothing which will check the raw
ages of the disease. 1t first attacks the
face. when the eyes and the ears are most
liable to destruction. The skin thickens
gradually, somewhat as in erysipelas-
Dusky red tubereles. ranging in size from
pea to hickory nut. begin TO appear.
The air. except on the scalp falls out; the
voice Is lost; then, beginning at the ex-
tremities. the flesh begins to swell and
to rot. The feet and hands first grow to
enormous size. and then the decomposed
flesh gradually falls =way; the ears drop
off; the eyes are lost; the fingers, one by
one. give way until the helpless yj;tim,
after years OF suffering, is relieved by
death Accompanying the loathsOme dis
ease Is an odor which makes the presence
Of the lepers almost unbearable. No form
OF death in all human history has the
hideousness of leprosy."