The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-05-07
IN
PH|LL|P|N

Lcpers at Manila are soon to be seq
regated on a small island near the ISL
aHd OF Luzun, and similar methods to
those in use on Molokai VIII be used
ia handling the unfortunates there.
The following description OF the leper
settlement at Saint Lazarus, Manila,
Is from the Manila Times OF recent
date.
Thousands Of the friends and relu
tives of the lepers.n confined In san
Lazaro Hospital awaited themselves OF
the opportunity To visit the patients
sunday This Is the only day In the
year when outsiders or the general Fill
ipino public are admitted. The priNl-
lego is In commemoration of Lazarus,
the scriptural beggar who lay outside
the rich mans gate while the dogs
came and licked his sores, VINO Is the
patron saint of the hospital
The hospital Is situated on Gale
CerVantes, about quarter of mile
beyond the National cycle track. so
crowded was the road with the stream
of natives that one was compelled TO
jostle his way through. on entering
the outer gate the usual crowd of halt
and manned We're found begging, I'M
ploring the passer-by In heart-melting
tones to spare them penny, for COD
sake
Inside the visitors We're compelled
to keep moving continuously in order
to prevent a blockade in the halls, SO
numerous was the crowd. The cots OF
the patients We're Uttered with cigars,
cakes, sweettneats and coppers, contri-
buttons from the visitors who took pity
upon the sufferers. Some or the pa
tients seemed to be comparatively
happy. while others had look or set
tied melancholy upon their faces. one
man who had been brought in from the
provinces a week or two ago, and had
not seen his wife or little child since,
went into transport on meeting them
again He Rugged the little one to his
breast repeatedly until seen by Doctor
Sanderson, who is in charge. The doc
tor ordered him to lay the child down,
explaining the danger of infection.
There are in all about eighty leprous
patients in the hospital Doctor San
derson's plan is to keep their minds
occupied as much as possible, and to
introduce variety, both in diet and
manner of living, as he believes that
the monotony of fish and rice diet,
and general stagnation of existence,
are largely accountable for the genera
ton or propagation of the disease.
Partly to avoid this each patient Is
supposed to do two or three hours
work each day. The doctor expects to
be able to promote his plan more fully
and perfectly in the leper island which
is to be occupied before long.
AS regards the appearance of the
patients, it must be admitted that the
ravages of the disease are not so hid
eous as the imagination has painted
them. On the face the disease usually
manifested itself in a kind of efflores-
cence, resembling a cauliflower in the
convolutions of it's surface. The skin
where this occurred was usually of
reddish, unhealthy hue One patient
who, perhaps, was the most disfigured,
had his face covered with leprous
eruptions or scabs. Another, woman,
had the nose eaten away, while an
other had only the stumps of the
fingers left on one hand. In the prison
cell lay maniac. the disease having
touched his brain.
In order to prevent contracting the
disease, Doctor Sanderson uses every
possible precaution and preventive.
Every time he removes his clothes they
are subjected to the formaldehyde
process of fumigation, by means of an
alcohol lamp, the dehydrogenized
fumes from which are believed to kill
all germs. Other .disinfectants are also
used By these means the doctor is
confident he shall be able to avoid con-
tracing the disease.
Doctor Sanderson has signifled his
willingness to take charge of the gov
ernment's leper colony when the time
is ripe. 1t is his intention to intro
duce his class system there, and by
every means to promote the welfare of
the lepers. The doctor Is optimistic re-
garding the work He goes into the
work not from any mercenary motives,
his salary being small. but solely from
a conviction that the leper colony pre-
sents a field wherein a man may do
good and help his fellow men.
It may be wondered at that the au-
thorities permitted the meeting of the
lepers and their relatives Sunday; but
after discussion 1t was decided that at
this season it might be inadvisable to
go counter to the time-honored GUS
tom of the people. Only those who
have violated the "costumbre'' can
realize the power which this fetch
holds over the Filipino people