Evening star., 1900-08-17
BON MARCHE, 314=316=318 9TH ST.


death; some demented; others, realizing
fully. and stolidly accepting the curse that
rested upon them. In not one face was there
an expression of hope of interest in any
thing. Loathesome in the extreme to us,
what must they be to themselves To at
tract their attention the doctor told them
that We were foreign physicians; that we
were very sorry for them, and that we
should like to help them if we could. They
looked up for moment, a slight expression
of curiosity in their faces. and as they
did so Mr.. Sampson took a snap shot of
them. I think they had not the slightest
idea of what he was doing. and We have
photograph of a small group
The mems quarters differed from the wo
mems only in being a little more forlorn,
and it was pitiful sight they presented.
lying on benches, on the ground, their faces
disfgured and their bodies most scantily
covered.
There were thirty-six men and thirty
seven women in the leper quarters. There Is
only one other retreat for lepers in Ecuador.
Most of the inmat ties come from the lower
c,ass of people Whenever the disease ap-
pears in a wealthy family the patient is
concealed until moved into the country,
where he is left with caretakers until the
end mercifully comes.
Precautionary Measures.
The precautions taken for the prevention
of the spread OF the disease are entirely in
adequate, and there is enough leprosy in
Ecuador to make 1t necessary for the gen
eral good that some more efficient means be
adopted for its prevention The physician
in charge has held his position thirteen
terested in his work. He claims that
number of persons have been discharged,
cured. from the hospital. declared to be SO
by board of physicians.
.If you ask me why there Is no settle
ment' for these unfortunates provided by
government, and more stringent laws en-
acted for their isolation. 1 answer by ask
ing you what has been done in the United
States for the same class, which, according
to late statistics and physicians reports.
numbered several thousand persons. all
living where their homes happen to be, with
no restraint Is to their life or movements.
I'VE visited the lunatics, numbering sew
enty-hve, confined in another building.
where the same conditions exist as in SINH
lar Institutions in other countries. save that
here are lacking almost entirely arrange
nents for proper care and attention. We
wondered If IL were not possible to do
something to better the mental conditions
of these human beings, who seemed to be
herded together like animals, little atten-
tion being given to the simplest sanitary
rules, either for the individuals or their
surroundings.
Visit to the POorhouse.
THE poorhouse (poor indeed) next claimed
our attention. Here we found oil men, wo-
men and children. Many were physical
wrecks. none was clothed with any degree
Of comfort-many having on a single gar
ment, others looking like bundles of rags.
They stretched out their bony. dirty fingers
as We passed along. begging for aims in the
name of the Virgin Mary. Had they been
reasonably clean we might have considered
their condition better than those on the
street; as it WAS. ii seemed there was more
temptation to vice and less to comfort than
had they been begging on street corners
and in front of church entrances.
Passing on. We entered the ward for
poor sick children, most Of them incurables.
Here were babies of few days, others of a
few weeks old, and boys and girls of ten to
twelve years. These are the children who
have no place in the world, and many are
there indeed In this city. AS well as possi-
bic, under discouraSing conditions, these
children are taken care Of. Now and then
a lovely face Will be found among them,
unmarked by disease and very attractive in
every respect. was about to put my hand
on the head Of a bright little boy of seven
years, who had a face the angels might
envy, and whose great brown eyes had
wistfully followed us as we weht through
the ward, when the doctor said sharply.
Don't He then unfastened the little gar
ment over the breast, when my hand drop
ped to my side as we saw exposed the evil
dence that he was under the curse of that
disease which never relinqushes its hold
until the death of the victim Is accom-
plished. Poor little one. born of sin and
disease. doomed before birth to months or
years or SuHeringSI
Seeing the intense suffering of some.
which would end only In death. I said :
Doctor. why would IT not be merciful to
put them to sleep? He looked at me. shrug-
ged his shoulders and replied. 1t would be
petter, but / understood him.
Home of the Orphans.
The last place visited was the orphan and
foundlinss' home. IN which we found sew
enty-five little girls Of various ages. All
clean v@li tbo
and dormitory being bright and clean. COM
pairing not unfavorably with like institutions
In our country. and the children seemed
happy. Among these different classes of
unfortunates are twelve resident Sisters of
Charity who are here, there and every
where. Clothed In white with kind. placid
faces, they minister to the suffering and
speak cheerful words to each
TAe mother superior. who told US she had
peeh IN service twelve years, had face
only IN a thousand, strong and resolute.
with a light upon IL that spoke for the
spirit within. We asked her how she could
endure TO spend her life among such scenes.
We Were about leaving, and. without a
word. she took my hand in hers and led me
J TO tiny chapel hung In white. The altar
was strewn with flowers; on one side hung
| picture Of Our Mother Of Sorrow and
near II hung one Of The Good Shepherd
answered.
"A moment later the great doors banged
| behind US, We passed into the fresh air and
sunshlne IN silence. and with thankful
| hearts Tor the blessings which crowned our
| our own lives, while each felt that within
was the greatest aggregation of misery we
had ever seen. relieved only by the self
denial and patient endurance of a handful
Of women who had consecrated their lives
\ TO willing service for others"
For assaulting Edith Budd with stick
William Budd OF A alley was TODAY
ed IN fha alt