The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-20
HOPE TO WIPE OUT LEPROSY
THE PLAN TRIED IN LOUISIANA
SAID TO BE 4 SUCCESS.


Good Results Obtained Al the Lcper Home
Under Adverse COnditi0ns-State Of
the Inmates Improved Popular Fear
OF the Disease Handicap 10 the Work.
NEW ORLEANS, Sept. l9.Dr. Quitman
Kohnke. president Of the New Orleans
Board OF Health; DR.. Isadore Dyer. presi-
dent Of the Louisiana Leper Board and the
Rev Albert Br,vor. 8. j.. have just returned
from visit to the Louisiana Leper Home
at Indian Camp Plantation. Their visit
has shown an encouraging condition OF
affairs there. and a possibility Of curing
the disease and Of exterminating 1t in
Louisiana, whero ii has prevailed for nearly
a century. The only difficulty in the way
is the popular fear Of the disease. which
initiates not only against the unfortunate
lepers, but also against the authorities In
their efforts to eradicate the disease.
II was eradicated in Louisiana by the
Spanish Government more than hundred
years ago, but revived later along the
lower Lafourche in consequence OF the
smuggling slave trade that centred about
Lafitte's pirate stronghold. Nothing OF any
moment was done to fight the plague until
A few years ago. when under the pressure
OF public opinion the State decided to take
energetic steps to get rid Of leprosy
The plan proposed was thoroughly prac-
teal and promising Provision was made
for the erection of lepers' home, and
laws were passed authorizing the Sheri1s
and District Judges to commit all lepers to
the home, thus to segregate them and,
without any hardship to the lepers, prevent
an extension of the disease. A great deal
has been accomplished IN this line; but
complete success has been prevented by
the great popular dread OF the disease.
A lease was secured Of the Indian Camp
Plantation, in Ibarville parish, one OF the
most retired spots in the world, In spite
Of the fact that it is on the Mississippi
River, some eighty miles above New Orleans.
The lease had to be made privately so as
not to arouse the opposition Of people in
the neighborhood When it was announced
there was loud protest but it was too
late to stop what had been done,
The site was found unsatisfactory. 1t
lie too damp. the buildings are in bad con.
dition, and II is too retired. 1t was desired
TO establish the home within easier reach
OF New Orleans, 80 that distinguished ply
sicians might have an opportunity Of study
ing the disease.
In consequence another plantation, Elk
horn, Just above New Orleans, In Jefferson
parish, was purchased for the lepers. It
was an ideal spot. secluded, vet within eosy
reach Of the great city. The moment
the news Of tho purchase leaked out, the
buildings on the plantation were burned
49, .lo - ba paiUh-
borhood. They paid the amount of the
loss to tho Leper Board, but they declared
that Mey would not permit leper colony
In their neighborhood. and that they would
continue to burn down every building
erected there for that purpose
The Leper Board WAS compelled to aban-
don its project Of removing the home, and
the leper homo remained III Indian Camp.
The board attempted to make them more
comfortable there, hut public prejudice
has proved serious obsta' le in the way.
A great improvement was made when
an attending physician was secured IN the
person Of DR.. Ralph Hopkins, for previously
the lepers had received only uncertain
attention. Provision for their religious
needs was similarly made when Father
Pierre Lafon retired from The world "a
minister to these unfortunates.
The daughters Of st. Vincent de Pau
volunteer to do the nursing. There was
no difficulty In scouting volunteers. Some
Of them came from Boston and New York
to accept places which practically closed
The world to them.
In all these respects. Drs. Kohnke ant
Over and Father Brevor found a great
improvement in the home. The medica
attendance and nursing have, 1t VIA found
improved the condiio Of the lepers; hold,
ing out the encouragement that the disease
wouli yield to treatment and it's advance
oouli be stayed even II 1t could not be cured
Indeed the improvement noted In sonlt
Of the patients encouraged the doctors e
believ" that a cure was possible in the
mil Ter cases.
But here the favorable conditions ended
The visitors found the buildings in do.
plorable condition, the roofs leaking, ano
many Of them open to the winds, the water
supply insufficient and the lepers subjected
to many Inconvenience and annoyances
which, the visitors believe. prevent theiI
improvement or cure.
The trouble is due to the fact that It IL
impossible to get workmen to 60 within
the lerer limits or to make improvements
in the buildings occupied by them. Work
men fear that the mere handling OF the
Hence the buildings occupied by the leperf
60 rapidly to decay.
The lepers themselves are too feeble to
do any work. For similar reasons there is
no sufficient water supply As a conse-
quenCe, the inmates OF Cn6 HOIIie eulci
from exposure to the weather, which, DIR
Kohnke believes, seriously interferes with
any chance OF their cure.
There have been three new cottages
built. for workingmen were induced to
handle newly sawed lumber; but these are
not ready yet for occupancy, and even when
they are ready they will not provide for all
the lepers. The cottages at present oocu"
pied are utterly unfit for the patients.
As a consequence the lepers suffer greatly
from the weather, especially from the damp
and cold 1t seems impossible for. them
10 get warm, for the cold turks in their bones
Several of the patients have burned them
selves severely while hugging the fire too
closely in the vain effort to secure little
warmth.
The present arrangement necessltates
exposure Of the lepers at every meal hour
some Of the lepers being obliged 10 walk
one hunded yards to their meals. Some
cannot walk at all and have to be carried,
while others walk slowly, painfully and
with great detriment to their condition
Exposure TO cold and inolement weather,
bad for all sick persons, Is especially hard
on the leper, being always an excitant ia
the disease.
This condition OF affairs, bad for the
epers. Ia bad als0 for the public The
laws OF Louisiana require the Serif and
District Judge to rep ri all cases u lepr sy
and have the lepers reno we'd 10 the home
This duty il confined 10 the Beard Of Health
In New Orleans, which has. under DR.
~. ;aJ quit ho la and n,yad