The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-11-20
NO LEPERS
FOR HAWAII
MainIand's Afflicted Not
Wanted Here.
WHAT ", D, SMITH SAYS
A. Would Be a Grieyous Wrong 10
ISLANDS and the Diseased
Ones,
Honolulu, II. l., Nov. 10, 1900

,f,ne in the past and now seeiils "
,eceiying consideration in CERTAIN,
,,nsrters, that lepers In tne ,Ohl'et
states be sent to the settiei'eh' at
>fo,okai seems to deserve more IMAM
passing notice.
If would not seem that such propo-
sition could be seriously conSiue'e
any more than the proposition 10 seliu
all those afflicted with any other uiS
.,.ea throughout the country to any one
point. ,,,
Several years ago, the suggestion wan
made bv the authorities of the state
~ California that the lepers OF tha'
STATE he sent to Molokai and later IN
authorities at Samoa desired that cei
cain lepers there should also De Sent
In both instances the consent was ho'
..ivan and the reasons for refusal are
As potent now as then
To send the lepers OF the C"''e'
states to Molokai would be great
wrong and injustice to them ana l"
Hawaii To the great majority OF the
reople of the United States these IS
lands are foreign country, anu 10
xsnd persons afflicted with disease W
a foreign country, from three to hFe
thousand miles from home among
strange people whose language theS
cannot understand, with whose GUS
sons and ways and food they are uh-
acouainted and unaccustomed. wouiu
:, anv case be outrageous; but espe-
cjally with leprosy. disease Which III
30 many cases gradually renders the
person unable to care for himself anu
needing the assistance or others' niiu
with the depression ana woe lna'
comes from the hopeiesshess Oh 'he
case. 49,,
1T would be a great wrong to these
yeIands TO make them the dumping
,Iace for all lepers of the country, ana
. cause them to be looked upon as a pes'
hole. And it would be wrong to 'ht
HaWaiians who live at the settlement
TO have people from foreign countries
unacouainted with them and thel hap,
its. traditions and sympathies-forceu
ruon them and perhaps in considera'
bile numbers Furthermore, the intro
.Inction of such people would doupties'
become a disturbing element IN Una
peaceful community.
The presence of leprosy and the car
tng for the sick has been most sever
and trying experience to the Hawaii
ans and people of these Islands.
Leprosy was introduced into thes
Islands from foreign country ahu
spread among the native people unt
measures had to be taken for the pro
,action of the community. The prop
lem presented was "A very serious one
and in view of the conditions of the
population, the ways and habits OF IN,
people, it was deemed Imperative tha'
ihe sick should be segregated from IN
we'll and after various experiments
ISl nf
selected for the permanent settlement
and for thirty-tiVc years, with SfeiN
ggains and at great cost, the lepers nave
loeen gathered up from the various
parts of the Islands and taken to thi>
settlement. Here cottages have pee
provided for them; the home life has
peen maintained as far as possible
their wants supplied by the Govern
menJ at public expense, and com
Fnunity of over thousand persons Is
living there in peace and harmony.
The separation of families-parents
from children, wives from husbands
brothers from sisters-has been a ter
-ible experience, and the result OF
disease brought to this people from
abroad. First, a large portion OF the
native people We're tainted by diseas'
brought by sailors and others, produc-
ing conditions favorable to the produc-
lion OF other diseases.
In this soil the germs of leprosy
seemed to run riot, and great curse
came upon the people. over six thou
Sand persons have been taken to TINS
settlement at Molokai since its estab-
iishment. There are now l,OlO persons
thcre afflicted with the disease, of the
aToilowing nationaliues;
tiaWaiian ...,..,... 90. ........,., 95l
Chinese ................. .... .,.,.... "a
whites ...,. '.,.. go. ''.''''''''''''
other nationalities ......,,,..,,,..,. /
With the exception of the BishoI
Home FOR Girls and the Baldwin HON,
Cor Boys, there is no hospital at tn
settlement. The premises cover Al
area of land from three to four mile
In length and two miles in width a
the widest point and the people liv
in cottages and maintain the home lif
10 which they are accustomed an
Torm remarkably harmonious AM
peaceful community.
In certain cases as the patient be
comes helpless from the loss Of finger
and hands, or paralysis, friends ar
allowed 10 go there to care for then
These are called kokuas (helpers), an
IN very many cases the misery an
noe OF the final and long drawn on
End has been much relieved and init
gated by the ministration Of sue
friends.
Furthermore, there Is weekly com
nunication with Honolulu, and IN
malls and supplies are brought, necrs
sary articles ana comforts are sent b.
friends, and all Is done that reasona
bly, can be done tu mitigate the SUI
ferings.
But what could "A person from Ne,
England, or Louisiana or the North
Hsst, be he man or woman, young gin
or boy do n brought So far frou
nome and friends ana associations, an
forced into these strange environment,
ana no hopelessly and By completed
DuriedY
ID Ii hard 10 believe that the propOsl
il9n can be seriously considered by ln
aelliHenl and responsible people IN
responsibility is upon each State an
Territory ana CITY ~ care for ils ow
sl1k and helpless and shat right ha
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