The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1903-02-26


in the way of the final eradication of
the disease. Not only does the living
in families make the cure of leprosy
very difficult, but the spread of ii
through heredity is made possible
While only one-eighth of the cases of
leprosy, says DR. RaXlag, are inherited,
still, when II is considered that in
China, Siam and India there are &c.,,
900 lepers, that one-eighth is large. In
Canton alone, where there are 10000
stricken with the malady, according to
the estimate $500 are epers from
birth. So, to avoid armed guards, the
two sexes should be placed on different
islands.
There must be another island for
those who have been nearly cured.
Provided that the possibility of leper
Descendants be guarded against DR..
iazlag says that after ten years work
on the island there would be very few
| sufferers and that the others would be
| able to enjoy their lives to the natural
end"
! He cites it as a remarkable fact that
| the mortality among epers is no great
er than among people afflicted with
other tropical diseases. Their lazy life
seems to protect them from such ma
! ladies as typhoid fever, pneumonia,
smallpox, cholera, plague, and dysen-
! terry.
The kind of material out of which
| the buildings are to be made is not a
matter of great Importance. The eli
mate and other conditions of the ISL
| and will determine that. Although he
| recommends the use of more than one,
DR.. Razlag says that one large island
! would he suffi~'ert for the lepers of
! any country except China, Siam or In
dia. He thinks that the conditions in
! China and Siam will soon give rise to
an international congress for the object
! # preventing the spread of leprosy,
| and that such congress will be likely
| to assemble more quickly on account of
| the advancing civilization and railroad
! development.
| 1t is urgent he says, that some gov
| eminent should begin the work imme-
! diately. He believes that after the
| excellent results are seen other Govern
ments will follow its good example Be
fore starting the work it will be ne
| cessary for a Leper Commission to be
| appointed that VIII include architects,
| doctors and designers.
DRESS AND TREATMENT.
one of the features of the new treat
ment devised by DR.. RaZlag is the
| dress that will he re luired for the pa
| tients. The men in the hot season are
! to wear simply short paints without
jacket: the women pants and jacket
! made OF one Piece, so that they may be
| continually exposed to the fresh air."
| In the cold or rainy seasons the pa
/ tents would be given heavier cloth to
! wear, but the shape would remain the
/ same as in not weather The shoes
| must consist of only wooden sOles with
| straps for the f-et.
| In DR.. Razlag's report he gives at
! length his treatment for leprosy First
! of all in importance he places frequent
4 IA4sf /, inn g .
| water, warm water cold water, plain
| water, indicated water. according to
| the popularity of the patients condi-
! ton. Then the a - L long list of me-
| dicines, some to be used i'm the bathing
water, some for massage, and some
to be taken inter lally. BESIDES these
various oils and Clrumci!tS are pres
! cribed.
| DR.. Razlag proposes to teach the lep
ers while they are being treated, how
| TO help Others lr!eI obey ara practically
! Well In this way lac pa, to save
| great deal of eNI cmSe an to keep down
to the lowest point the number of i'm
| ported assistants, of whom he says 1.-THE
| fewer the better"
He says that the average time of
successful treatment is at least one year
all the necessaries being on hand and
the conditions being entirely favorable
He adds that "a positive and radical
cure should not be spoken Of" What
he Is aiming at chiefly is not so much
the cure of Those already afflicted as
the prevention of the spread of the di-
sease. To deprive the lepers of the
right of marriage seems to him nothing
but IAN insignificant restriction" con-
sidering the greatness of the end that
is being striven for.
With such an isolating plan as he de-
scribes Dr. RaZlag says that within
ten years there will be few uncured
cases on the island, and If the separa-
ton of the sexes is complete the Ieper
islands will be empty of inhabitants
in another ten years. As time goes on
the work viii become easier and easier
since the survivors will get used to at
tending to themselves and to helping
each other.
Closing his report DR.. Razlag offers
to take the work in charge for any
Government. He declares himself pre-
pared to finish this work in the most
practical and economical way in the
Hawaiian Islands, Philippine Islands,
India, Siam, Japan, China, or any other
country" But without the aid of a
government, he says, he will have to
abandon the work forever