Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-02
Conditions in Porto Rican
Leper Colony.
GROSS CARELESSNESS
TERRIBLE STATE OF AFFAIRS RE-
VEALED BY INVESTIGATION.
The Directors Confidence in His Sub
ordinates Misplaced-Acting Cover
nor Hartzell Takes Prompt Steps.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
SAN JUAN, P. R., August %. 1908.
terrible state of affairs has been dis
covered on Cabras. or Goat Island, on which
the leper colony of Porto Rico is located
at the entrance to San Juan harbor. AS a
result the executive council of Porto Rico
yesterday held a special session by request
of Acting Governor HartZel and has or
dered thorough investigation to learn who
is responsible. Meantime San Juan has had
a reign of terror, its people having been
threatened with the loathson1e disease at
which the world stands aghast.
1t was believed. until this discovery. that
the leper colony had been conducted in a
manner most creditable to all concerned.
The insular government has been expanding
about $4,000 year for its maintenance and
Director of Charities Brogun Hoff Oster-
houdt of Kingston. N. Y, has made graft
flying annual reports to Governor Hunt.
The director went north a few weeks ago
to remain until November and DR.. Goenaga,
superintendent of the insane asylum, was
appointed acting director.
DR.. Goenaga first learned that the "prac-
ticante." or assistant physician at the col
ony, Jose Aldrich. was bringing to San
Juan for sale chickens raised by the lepers
Aldrich was promptly suspended, arrested
on criminal charge and fined $50. Dr.
Goenaga then personally proceeded to the
colony where he was Mortified by what he
saw and heard He Immediately suspended
DIR. Fernandez Mater, a prominent native
Of San Juan, who was the physician in
charge. DR.. Goenaga then made a written
report to Acting Governor Hartzeli as to
it was upon this report the executive coun-
Gil, called together by Mr.. Hartgell, has or
dered deep probing. which means the pun
ishment of all concerned.
DR.. Goenaga found dogs, goats chickens
rabbits and pigs herded with the lepers, the
chickens nesting in the unclean beds. The
patients were in a filthy condition, with no
bathing facilities and most of them clad
with single partial covering of rags. The
food supplies stood about exposed to cor
ruption and he refers to general conditions
as horrible beyond comprehension.
Two Non-Lepers Found.
In the midst of these surroundings he
found two patients one an old man. and
the other younger who are not afflicted with
leprosy. THE old man was committed years
ago as a leper. thus being confined to slow
and awful death. and the younger man was
sent to the colony later. These men will be
tined in a building now being constructed,
for a sufficient time to make their release
safe.
1t was also ascertairc1 that the cook
went daily across the bay to Palo Seco to
buy provisions, taking no precautions. and
that paper currency has circulated freely
among the lepers and has probably gone
from them to all parts of the island
An investigation as to the books of the
colony showed not a single entry, although
hoo 1aI a.
of all expenditures as well as for profess
sional notes concerning the patients. 1t was
the duty of Practicante AldTich to do this
under the direction Of DR. Mater. The ir-
regularity of the books or the generally aw-
EGl conditions at the colony are not denied
by DR.. Mater. who says he trusted Aldrich.
Tt is expected that Director Osterhoudt's
defense will be in turn that he trusted DR..
Mater. There is. however strong rroba-
hlity that Osterhoudt's resignation will be
promptly demanded.
All the Animals Killed.
One Of the first reform steps taken by
Acting Governor HartzelI was to send Dr.
Hernandez, president fthe superior board
of health; Dr. Baez, the new practicante.
and DR.. Schirmer. insular veterinary in
spector, to Cabras Island to destroy every
living thing in the colony except the lepers
A detachment of police accompanied the
party. The lepers protested bitterly. espe-
cially against the killing of pets but with
out avail the work of destruction being
completed In two days. More than hum
dred animals and chickens We're killed
general cleaning up of the island is now
in progress, almost everything but the stone
buildings and the patients being committed
TO the flames. Henceforth. it is certain,
new state of affairs will exist.
When the local press announced the ar
rest of Aldrich for bringing chickens and
pork into the city from the colony for sale
there was an instant falling off in the de-
mand for pigs and poultry and the market
for those commodities still suffers. The
American housewives were more frightened
than the natives and the scare. now of a
weeks duration, is just subsiding The
proximity of the leper colony to the city is
not in itself a menace If quarantine regu-
latons are strictly observed, but when the
fearful laxity was discovered and it was
learned that real danger confronted the
capital it was not ca sy to assuage the ter
ror of the inhabitants. Acting Governor
Hartzell has received much praise for his
prompt campaign against the wrong-doers
and for his willingness that the facts should
be known by the public. His indigna ton
Is strong and he has declared that no guilty
man shall escape. Undoubtedly his course
will receive the warm approval of Governor
Hunt as II has of the executive council. The
deceving of the administration was not
difficult, as few people have access to the
leper colony or care to visit II, and reports
are naturally accepted as true The re-
sponsibility seems to rest entirely with
those who have made false reports or who
have neglected the duties imposed upon
them.
Inhabitants Of Cabras Island.
There are now IN the Cabras Island COL
ony twenty-three lepers and at least as
many more, 1t Is believed are scattered
throughout Porto Rico. The superior board
of health. within whose province is the de-
termination of this disease has had many
difficulties TO contend with in it's endeayor
TO deliver to the colony the balance of those
afflicted and at large on the island One
of these difficulties Is that of TRANSFORMATION
after discovery the common carriers abso-
lutely refusing to bring the lepers from
the surrounding country. Three weeks ago
the superior board of health again dis
cussed this subject and is now trying to
solve the problem by arranging for special
ox-cart transportation at government ex-
pense. 1t is hoped that within year all
the lepers of Porto Rico will be segregated
a the colony. If this can be accomplished
the isolation will soon cause the annihi-
lation of the loathsome disease
Only those who know the terrors of lep-
rosy can understand the reasons for the
fright of the people of San Juan caused