Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-13
LEPROSY ON ISTHMUS
NOT SHOWN IN OFFICIAL PANA-
MA REPORTS.
Colony Found in Which Were seven
Inmates-Work for United States
Sanitary Commission.

fco,rriphted. 1904. by ''wilbert Melville.o
In the various official health reports wmch
have been made regarding the situauoh oh
the Isthmus Of Panama very little mas oeei'
said as to the existence OF leprosy theie'
This may be due to the fact that the YIN
Gals who formulated these reports pa'e
them upon the officials records OF the oihei
ent hospitals which naturally DO not RECEIVE
r,.ny n.tients afflicted with this disease
Leprosy has been more or less preNaiei o
,ho isthmus for wears and Bogota, the capt.
tai of Colombia, has over D per cent Vi s
population affected. The french anu o.
Thomas hospitals are crowded Inc hhos'
PREVALENT diseases are beri beri, elephand-
.s;s avsentery and various forms of ma
,,ria the most common and fatal type OF
which is termed the chagres fever. IL was
while pursuing Investigations along THIS
,sna that it was found that leprosy was by
M means an uncommon disease there
About n mile and a half from the city OF
Panama and situated along the SHORES Oh
the Pacific a colony is maintained 1of these
unfortunate people. 1t was some little tune
before the leper colony could be located
The colony consists Of four wooden nuts
surmounted by corrugated steel roofs, piis
tering under the intense rays Oh tfopioai
SIM It is thoroughly isolated and surIouho-
ed by wire fence three feet high, the en-
trance TO which is guarded py pupnc
health officer In the vicinity OF the nus
were found thousands or glSanuc nzdIos'
numerous sand crabs and flock Oh nun
cry yultures. There are at present seven III
mates.
The Oldest and most pitiable case Is that
of a Chinaman, who went to the lsthmus
during the latter days Of the French canal
company as a laborer. Shortly afterward
the early symptoms Of the disease mace
their appearance and he was finally sent 10
Panama to become a member OF the .ateo
assembly where he has been connheo LOT
fourteen years. He has lost both nanos anu
feet, out seems to suffer no pam anu Is
extraordinarily waiting for the ineVltaoie
end The different types and stages OF iep-
rcsy are all represented here. Eacn paueh.
takes great pride in the care OF nus hVihs
tomb. 80
There was some objection on the part OF
the health officer in charge when 1t was
suggested that photographs be taken OF the
inmates. AS they themselves received tne
nronosition with enthusiasm, and were EVIL
IDENTIFY anxious to have their pictures taken,
the keeper was finally persuaded to LOOK
the other way while two pictures were
taken.
Wanted a Photograph.
The old Chinaman asked for copy OF
the photograph, and when he was tod IL
would probably De d HlOHlH peioiO iiS SoNAN
get It he replied that the photographer had
better hurry or he would not be there to
receive it. These unfortunate people are
allowed Is cents, gold, each day for indi-
yidual maintenance, and are visited by the
local health physician twice during the
month. All medicines and clothing are
given them by the government The ma
iority of the inmates are native Panamans
OF Spanish or Indian descent There are
undoubtedly more cases of leprosy in Pam
ANA than the public records show. The
cases in the leper colony are only those UNI
fortunates who are friendless, homeless and
penniless In the city there are many lep-
ers confined In the private homes by pa
rents. relatives or friends, who can afford
to pay for their maintenance and hide them
from the not too yigilant health authori-
ties
Dr. Amador, who before he became presi-
dent of the republic of Panama was medi-
cal officer for the Panama Railroad Com
pany, Is said to admit that such conditions
exist, but placed the blame upon the
shoulders of the Colombian government,
saving that the officers Of the new repub
lie had not as yet had the time or oppor-
tunity to correct this evil. From knowledge
of the methods of the officials at Panama.
however, 1t Ia believed that this problem.
as well as all others requiring energetic
action, will be left to the American gov
eminent for solution, and it is hoped that
with the help of the United States sanitary
commission existing conditions will be thor
oughly revolutionized.