The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-09-15
DR., BISHOP
ON LEPROSY
How the Disease Came
To Hawaii.
WAS BROUGHT BY ROYALTY
Segregation was a Farce Under
the Monarchy But is No
Longer So.


AS leprosy seems to be one of those
perennial subjects of discussion, forever
cropping UP when least expected and
holding spell bound the least attentive
listener, few chance items gathered
from Rev. DR.. Serene Bishop, one who
has been for years a recognized authority
on this vexed question. may not be amiss.
Said DR.. Serene Bishop yesterday, when
approached on the subject, II became
familiar with leprosy in Lahaina, Maui,
in the year 1859. l had seen it there two
years earlier; but did not know it under
that name, which was not used previous
lily. DR.. Hillebrand, who had been sent to
the East indies by this government on a
botanical expedition, recognized it in
China as the disease he had become ac-
Guainted with here, without knowing its
name. DR.. Baldwin, the resident mis-
s!onary physician at, Lahaina, had been
treating it as a skin disease. 1t had first
made its appearance there on the person
of a chief in the train of Kekauonohi.
He communicated the malady to another
chief with whom he was intimate, whose
chief had recently been abroad to China,
1 think, and had brought the malady back
with him. Naea, the second person to con-
tract it, was a husband of the half-white,
Fanny Young. who was the mother of
Queen Emma. Naea was the reputed
father of Queen Emma: but everybody
| knew she was the daughter of DIR. Rookie.
| This Naea owned property in Lahaina
with number of tenants under him, to
several of whom he communicated the
white plague. de also owned property in
Honuaula, out on the same island and
carsed the dissemination of the disease
| in that district as well. The disease was
commonly know among the natives as the
mai alii,' meaning the chiefs disease,
or royal malady.
| Il received the above information per-
sonally from the Rev. Dwight Baldwin
NJ. D., who had treated leprosy, on the
chiefs mentioned and many other persons
flor years. DR.. Baldwin wrote an account
lof the facts above given, and filed II
with the minister of the interior, but his
account of the relationship of Naea tc
lQueen Emma.
| after 1858 the disease began to spread
with great rapidity, until measures were
taken for the isolation of lepers on Mo.
ilokai. These measures were very imper-
lfectly carried out, owing to the partially
land interference of persons high in au-
lthority.
after the monarchy was overthrow
these preventive measures were very
Thoroughly carried out. The great body
Iof the natives are bitterly opposed to
1.-THE isolation of lepers.
| THE principal source of contagion Is
the saliva of the mouth. 1t is communi
Icated by kissing and an exchange oil
tobacco pipes among lepers and theil
friends. 1t is a painless disease. The
Joints, in many cases, wither up, separate
land drop off. In the later stages the
vital organs become affected and the pa
ltient suffers from the diseased condition,
lengendered. The earlier symptoms how
lever. are apt to be visible in the swoller
lcordition of the lobes of the ears; alsS
of the tissues around the eyes. The lat
ter produces what is known as the
'Leonine aspect There are other symp
toms: spots appear on the brow ant
Icheeks sometimes pale, sometimes dark
Such spots often appear on the limbs also
have heard of still other symptoms, Blu
mot being familiar with them, do not car
to specify"
DR.. Bishop told of having met. SOM
Years ago, former pupil of his. TIL
young man walked up to him and holdin,
out his hand said, How do you do. Doc
tori" DR.. Bishop looked him over keenl
Iand his practiced eve recognized the mari
of Cain, in the "Leonine aspect" Still
he could not place him, so changed wa
he He Inquired mis- name and bluntl,
lsaid-"you are a leper,"
But today nous avons change tout sa
and such a contingency as leper abroa
in our streets is relocated to the past
1t is not possible today.