The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-10-04
CURED BY USE OF
SOAP ANO. WATER
PATIENT RELIEVED OF
DREAD DISEASE BY QUALITY
THAT IS AKIN TO GOODNESS.

ST. LOUIS, September 26.-Cleanu-
ness, in connection with mild medical
treatment, seems to have succeeded in
curing well-defined case of leprosy.
The patient is Dong Gong, a Chinese,
who has been at quarantine under the
care of DIR. NJ. G. Woodruff since No
vember l, 1901. The man has so much
improved that the physician has recon-
mended his discharge as cured and
that he be sent back to his home in
China, as he desires. 1t is probable
that this will be done after a little fur
Their observation to make sure that
there is no danger of a recurrence of
unfavorable symptoms.
Dong Gong kept a laundry on Easton
avenue until last fall, when he appear
ed at the office of Dr. Engleman and
said he was i'll. After brief examina-
ton the doctor decided his visitor was
afflicted with leprosy, and notified the
city authorities. Dong Gong was de-
tanned for several weeks in a temper
airy isolation ward in the old City Hall
while his case was under observation.
Then the question of caring properly
for Dong Gong arose. After much trou-
bic the Health Department employed
a volunteer physician, DR.. Louis
Knapp, who wished to observe the case
to take care of the patient.
Dong Gong's condition began to inn
prove noticeably soon after he first be-
came a charge of the city. From the
beginning absolute cleanliness was in
stituted on by the doctors. AS Chinese
go, Dong Gong was already neat per-
son, but he became Immaculate under
strenuous eXertions by the doctors. He
had enough to eat, and meat was on
his bill of fare every day. AT first his
appetite, unaccustomed to abundant
fare, was not large, according to Am
erican standards but he learned rapid
ly to make away with three square
meals a day and sometimes call for
more. He was not stuffed, but his food
was abundant, we'll cooked and of the
best quality.
Meantime DR.. Woodruff was witness
ing the progress of the case with the
greatest care. Keep clean; washee
good" was the Doctors daily admoni-
ton to Dong Gong. The Celestial
would thereupon "washee" as he had
never done before. Besides this treat
ment, DR.. Woodruff administered such
remedies as are ordinarily given in
cases of grave skin diseases, a gentle
tonic among other things.
Last spring DR.. Woodruff announced
that his patient was already much i'm
proved, and the summer, with its fav-
orable weather, has practically COM
pleted the cure which year ago SEEM
ed utterly impossible.
DR.. Woodruff reported to the Board
of Health this week that Dong Gong
could safely be called cured and ad-
vised that he be discharged. Health
| Commissioner Starkloff requested Chief
Dispensary Physician G. a. Jordan and
DR.. Ehgleman, who first diagnosed the
case, to make an examination and re-
port. DR.. Jordan said today:
IAN the LESSONS made by the disease
had disappeared a month ago, except
on one of the patients hands and a
! splotch or two on his cheek. The pa
TENTS recovery seems speedy, it is
true, but when the hygienic conditions
under which the treatment has been
administered are considered it is not
impossible. The environments un-
doubtedly contributed to the favorable
turn in the case as much as anything.
We shall make another examination of
the patient in a few days, and if his
condition is as reported by DR.. Wood
ruff, Dong Gong will be released. l UNI
derstand he will return to China at
once"