The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-06-12
HOPE FOR
THE LEPERS
Boston Gets Remark
able Results from East
Indian Treatment.

The presence, and the purpose o.
surgeon-GeneraI Wyman, of the Marine
Hospital Service, in Hawaii at the
present time gives a particular timeli-
ness to the following article from a
late number of the Boston Advertiser:
Physicians in charge of the state
lepers begin to hope that with the in
PRODUCTION of a new treatment from
India permanent cures may be
wrought. This in the case of many if
not most of their patients.
This is entertained without any de-
parture in the least from the con-
servatism for which the medical staff
is noted. The cure is to be used in the
case of every leper, whether the affec-
ton is a matter of long development
or has just appeared.
The Iepers at Gallup's Island are now
under the care of the city of Boston.
But they, too, will share in the treat
ment.
What is very possible is that some of
the charges may be entirely cleared of
the curse so that they may be- dis
charged from the hospital and allowed
to live and labor in the community.
The physicians. who are working in
cooperation with the state board Of
charity, accept the situation and say
that there will be no danger.
This new course of treatment is to be
prescribed because of the surprising
improvement shown in the condition
of Frank Pena, now kept at Harwich,
under the supervision of DIR. Edmunds
of that town.
On his own responsibility, DR.. Ed
munds wrote to the British officials at
Rangoon, India, to find out what they
were doing in the care of leper pa
tients. He got into direct-communica-
ton with the medical staff of Great
Britain in India" and they confided to
him that they We're using a treatment
which had brought almost miraculous
results and which had effected absolute
cures. This cure is applied in the
same manner as anti-toxin.
DR.. Edmunds secured samples enough
for experimenting. These, combined
with remedies which he has found of
value in his own examination of the
Pena case, are what will be employed
with all the lepers.
This scholarly country doctor is not
posing as a prophet. He does not al
low himself to talk over confidently of
the case.
1t appears from his correspondence
with the British medical men at Ran
COON, that out of 100 cases recently
treated, there have been 10 perfect
recoveries. The men are now moving
at large in the community, no longer
regarded as outcasts, but looked upon
like people who have secured perma-
nent relief from such a so-called in
durable malady.'
Only very few, from to 10 PC. of
the number have not responded to the
cure These cases were very far adj
vanced, and no result was expected.
Over SO pc. have profted by the mix
ture, and will continue to receive care,
the possibility being that a large per-
centage of these Will recover.
What has been done in India, where
leprosy is found in it's most virulent
form, it is thought can be duplicated
in the United States. The complete
change in the condition of Frank Pena
at Harwich is accepted as the best of
evidence Of the great healing power of
the medicine; and as the other lepers
are suffering from a milder form,
members of the charity board expect
as substantial cures as in India.