Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-06-10
LEPROSY IN SOUTH AFRICA

Mr.. Jonathan Hutchinson, whose de.
rarture for South Africa to investigate
the mode of diffusion Of leprosy We
announced in The Journal, has return.
ell and made highly important COM
inunication to the Times. Later his
researches will probably be communi'
Gated at greater length to the Royal
Medical and Chirurgical Society. in
addition to the large leper asylums on
Robben Island (Cape Town and at
Emjuayua (TemDuland). he has visit.
ed many districts where the disease
occurs, in order to investigate the do
nestle conditions of lepers. His IN.
quiries establish the fact that the dis.
case is very sparingly scattered over
he whole of South Africa, and is by
no means abundant anywhere. II
chiefly affects the colored races. but
a certain number of cases are to be
found among the Dutch farmers. II
was probably new disease when tho
first cases lin members OF the latter
Class) were recognized near to Cape
Town $50 years ago. Since then II has
gradually spread from the Cape Town
GiGtrict over the whole British terri.
tory, including the newly annexed col.
Cnies of the Transvaal and the Orange
Free State. In Natal IL was a new dis.
case as recently as sixty years ago,
and is still met very sparingly. In
Iululand It is as yet almost unknown.
| Mr.. Hutchinson concludes the prima.
ry cause Of the disease is the use Of
badly cured salt fish. Such fish is
prepared at Capetown and various
Places on the south and west coasts,
and is sent inland in large quantities.
While believing that this has been by
for the chief agent in its diffusion, Mr..
Hutchinson thinks that he has obtain.
cd conclusive evident that leprosy may
in very exceptional circumstances be
communicated from person to person.
. He does not believe that II Is either
Infectious or contagious in the proper
sense of these words, but that 1t may
be communicated by eating food con.
taminated by a leper's hands. This
mode of transference can obviously &C.
cur only under the most careless con.
G!uons as to taking food and hence the
explanation that the disease never
spreads in leper asylums or in well.
Civilized communities, while Il does so
in Hottentot and Kaffir kraals. Its in.
PRODUCTION into these kraals is usually
effected by some laborer who has been
into Cape Colony to work and return.
Ing home with the seeds Of the disease
has become a source of this kind OF
food contamination in his native place.
The measures suggested for the pre-.
y"ntion of the disease are first land
by far the most importantly the legis.
lative control OF the fish.curing estab.
llshments; secondly, the diffusion ct
Information as to danger Of communi.
, cation; and, thirdly. the establishment
OF smau isolation homes into which
lepers should be induced to go dur.
Ing the stage involving risk. Thus MT.
Hutchinson, as the result OF his inves.
tigation, reaffirms the "fish-hypothe-
sis" OF the origin of leprosy-a doc.
triEe which he has strenuously and
persistently maintained for many
years in the face OF almost universal
opposition Of all the other authorities.
ilc has also, against the general view.
insisted that leprosy is not in the ordI.
nary sense contagious disease,
pointing out that although a number
If lepers live in England and mix free.
ly with the population no case OF con.
tlgion has ever been observed. This
peculiar method of contagion from
lcpers through food IS new hypothe.
sis, but 1t In no way invalidates ION
The contrary, 1t confirms) Mr.. Hutchin.
sons view OF the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
OF leprosy in civilized life.-Medical
Journal.