The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1903-08-03
DR.. MCDONALD ON LEPROSY

Dr. r. Mcdonald Pathoogist of the Board of Health and sec
rotary OF the Hawaiian Medical Society has issued palet con-
tanning "A Diagnosc Examination of One Hundred Fifty Cases
lot Lepro article reprinted from the Journal American
Medical Association contains by way of introduction an account
the method OF segregation epe here
Leprosy dseaee which the average American hycan
gives but little thought study he regard as
foreign maady of interest him only curiosity This
pro has existed for various parts the United
States but the only recognition has thus far received has
most part been by dermaoogists the OF population
The ordinary general practitioner backbone profess
son and to whom this is presented the whom
the responsibility OF keeping mind the general features the
and the possibility of day encomterng when
expected as essentially constitutional disease much is
tuberculosis and comes as fairly within his domain
with in Hawaii the disease the decline thus proving the
wisdom OF the policy OF segregation established over thirty years ago
Our method experimenting and dealing with per suspects be
stated briefly follows The entire inhabited portion the territory
S divided INTO tWenN government districts IN each OF which com
peent resident practitioner selected and appointed by the Territorial
boad OF Health as government physician with small annual salary
IN with ms private Pacuce he Is TO treat the mdgen SICK
free OF charge supervise sanitation and vital statistics monthly
reports health conditions in his district and last but
me to be on the constant gant outlook for pers In this latter
duty there placed his disposal the active cooperation OF the dis
rct deputy sheriff. who instances the who discovers
the suspect and brings him to the attention OF the physician From
these officials whose and duties in the
ona but mandatory OF the recruits for Mooka few
the patients hidden away Tor years by friends are already well adj
vanced the disease but and perhaps the majority would
pass in crowd unnoced These the whom the
physician has held under suspicion and silent observation perhaps
for months study the and development Of
slight and lesion regarded OF Importance by the
patient himself or perhaps by him entirely undiscovered
ARRIVING Honolulu the suspect placed in the epe receiving
station enclosure of several containing cottages wards dis
and situated quiet suburb some three or four miles
from the business thee M He under the
supplement the work already begun by the physician
formulating the history of the making critical study OF all np
recording the and demonstrating possible the
of the bacillus pae After the arrivals have amounted to
about twenty the official examining board called together in session
make final individual review of each and
on its disposition
CAS- of diagnosis first in importance stands the microscope
Although regularly scientifically demonstrated account
the universal failure both obtain culture and to infect
generally accepted the world that the
disease the Hansen bacillus precisely tuberculosis due
pcious tissue now considered lust as legitimate diagnosis eprosy
that of the bcur bacillus in the spuum OF suspected CON
sumptve, conhrmatory of tuberculosis.
1.-THE method essentially that of fellow townsman
described by him before the Berlin Leper Congress
in 1907"