The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-11-04


II 10 be only rheumatism. he consulted
DR.. Aiming. who diagnosed it at once as
| leprOsy- 1t was six months afterWard
1 before the disease became manifest. In
| the latter part Of 1885 a tubercle appear
ed on the lobe OF the ear, and subse-
| quently the infltration of the forehead
and cheeks began. together with the loss
| of the eyebrows. Thus the clinical pic
| ture was complete. / was informed by
| Mr.. Reynolds the superintendent, that
| the disease shows a. much slower adj
| vance in those persons who perform reg
| exercise. In this 1t shows slight anal
ogy to tuberculosis. The varieties OF
leprosy, tubercular and anaesthetic, are
said TO exist at the settlement in about
equal number
THE THREE OLDEST PATIENTS
1T is said that cases of tubercular and
anaesthetic leprosy rare of BOLTS occur in
same family. The three oldest patients
now at the settlement arrived fin the
years 1874. 1875 and 1879, respectively.
Il saw the one who arrived in 1873 and
was surprised at the relatively slow adj
vancement of the disease in his case.
The number of commitments to the
settlements each year has gradually de-
creased during the past ten years. The
following shows these transactions for
the time stated:
'Commitments-1S9I, 1872: 1892, 1O1; 1883,
2i1 1894, 13S; 1895. 106; 1895. 143; 1897, 122;
1895. 81: 1899 81; 1900, So
1T has been contended by some that
even the number sent up during the past
three years, while relatively smaller than
the number for the preceding years, was
larger than it should be. if was to
believe that leprosy was decreasing, re-
suit promised when the Molokai settle
ment was first established. The facts
Sbn Irvhn
ands for lepers has never before been
carried on with much vigor as it is
now and that the decrease in the annual
number of commitments is the greatest
proof of the fact that the disease is de-
creasing.
Il noticed great many lepers wearing
glasses. and 1 saw several totally blind.
l was told that the eyes were affected
in nearly ten per cent of the cases. In
some cases the blindness was caused by
a simple invasion of the optic nerve. In
others the process had spread into the
anterior chamber of the conjunctiva.
II noticed a peculiar hoarseness that
several of the very sick lepers had, but
the disgusting smallthat 1 had heard so
much about 1 found no worse than that
found in almost any almshouse, however
well kept it might be. 1t is said that
those patients having leprous alterations
in the nose give off a most horrible smell
trea tment with antiSepticS.
THE leprous liberation found in the
bowels is believed to be caused by swal-
lowing the pus secreted from these nasal
sores, DR. Pratt, the executive officer of
the board of health, told me OF a case
which had lately arrived at the settle
ment. in which skin taken from several
localities showing the leprous process
had failed to show the bacilli, while the
latter were demonstrated at once in the
nasal SecretionS.
"A great many observers believe that
infection from leprosy takes place most
frequently through the Inhalation of dust
The fact that in the past ten years only
ten clean persons have been infected at
Notwithstanding the amount of
dust that is constantly present all over
the settlement, does not add weight to ]
the inhalation theory, even though we
assume that these ten infections were
caused in this way alone
COST OF MAINTENANCE.
The cost of maintaining the settle
meBt IS much less than would be natur-
ally expected. The general expenses are |
itemiZed as follows:
Board and carriage for .lepers. Sl,5O0; |
medical examinations. $1,000; freight and /
passage. $4,000: Kalihi station expenses, |
81. 600: Baldwin Home Expenses. |
Sc. OOO Bishop Home expenses, 5000; |
lumber and building materials, $1,000; in |
ridentals. g. 900; medicines, $4,000; beef |
and cattle. $4,000; poi. $4,000; dread, $1,000; |
rice. 5000; flour and other supplies, Sl2,-
100. Total 100000.
in other words, nearly LOO persons |
are housed, fed, clothed and governed for |
100000 for two years, or for $4,000
year
THAT this is relatively small amount
1n which to operate such a settlement
my one will admit. That an additional
900 lepers could be placed there and
lept at n smaller relative cost was
act that was also apparent
THE number of lepers the place is
apable of accommodating is practically !
Without limit, and IL occurred TO me
more than once that a site so suitable
nd isolated should be made more use of
that is. made our national leper sani-
arium. i
AT p. m. the inspection was over and
W returned TO the vessel. The band
'layed off and the same crowd was
ssembled at the landing. some of them
living the native wall to their departing
riends. We were soon on board the
teamer and on our way home. / nave
o thank President II. G. Sloggett, and
Their members of the board Of health
including DIR. Pratt. the executive officer.
or very many courtesies and much in I
while on this trip