Evening star., 1900-08-17
The HOME OF THE LEPERS
INSTITUTION UNDER CARE OF GOV
EMINENT OF ECUADOR.
Description of 1t Given by Mrs. Samp-
son. Wife of American
Minister There.

What is pronounced to be one Of the
greatest aggregations Of misery In the
world was made the subject Of a letter
from Mrs Frances S. Sampson. wife Of the
United States minister to Ecuador. who,
writing to a friend IN this city from Quito.
under a recent date, says in reference to
the 1eper hospital in that city:
ION hillside, fifteen minutes walk from
the center OF Quito, there are from three to
five acres of ground. inclosed on three sides
10y a wall fifteen feet high and three feet
thick The other side. which faces the city.
is hIled by the front Of large three-story
building. Of imposing appearance. immense
doors opening from the center, which are
thu only means Of entrance. This building
is called the hospicio (the hospitaD. which.
in a way, is misleading, although it is that
and noIe.
Within are several buildings. connected
with passages, although each is complete
in itself. having a stairway and open court
and corridors. where inmates may get a
breath of fresh air, glimpse Of the sky
and. when disposed permitted. lie in the
sunshine. For some reason, possibly for
economy and convenience, the authorities
have seen fit 10 gather here the unfortu-
nate and the miserable OF all .classes-lep-
ers. insane, tncurab!es from loathsome dis
eases, paupers. orphans and foundlings-
all are confined within these walls 1t Is
difficult to gain mittance. and only re-
Gently nave We Deen able 10 90 so, through
the kindness Of the physician in charge,
who volunteered to accompany us through
the various buildings and give US any in
formation we desired
Glimpse of the Interior.
We met him at o'clock one morning
nOT long since. and, passing through the
doors. found ourselves on a corridor sur
rounding a large patio, yard, filed with
e. s4ekly lot of plants not at all inviting In
appearance AS We especially wished to
. see the lepers. the physician suggested we
visit thsn first and return 10 the other
apartments We waited moment while
h made some changes in his cloth hing and
when he reappearei. followed him through
Several halls, accompanied by attend
ant. who unlocked each door permitting
US 10 pass through. after which IT was
carefully locked Each passage was more
gloomy than The former, until We reached
the last. which was long. almost without a
ray Of light, being dug through 3 portion
OF the hill Tue sides were damp and moss
clung 10 many creyice. while water trick
led thEough the earth 1t was gloomy
enough 10 he the entrance to hades As
the doors wece barred behind US we felt
Is II doomed ourselves. for II seemed as II
we wefe going beyond hope, away from,
every human sympathy. from ali loves and
entering the lands OF lone despair AT
the end OF this passage we passed through
q small. heavy door. We hurried up a mar
row STONE stairway. stood within a narrow
Ntl1ls1E anu Wcto IN the women s quarters
for l-pers. We walked around. looking into
small rooms. dark and bare. seeing crea-
tures with shawl-eovered heads moving
about IstIessly. something IN the attitude
OF each expressing misery that made US
feel as II a cold wind swept over US.
Horrors Disclosed.
To the doctors inquiry, You really want
TO see these worner? our reply was. We
certainly DO He then passed from door
10 door. calling the inmates by name, until
there were about fifteen women represent
ing different stages OF the disease standing
ten or twelve feet from US. Being told to re-
move their shawis. we had full view OF
them. Some were old, with faces draws
And distorted; others had the disease de-
yelopsd In neck and arms. Ono had lost
her sight. In the case OF another the feet
were so bad she could scarcely walk Still
another had useless hands. They stood be-
fore Us. human beings without ray OF
hope; nothing but growing disease and