The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-07-31
DANGER SLIGHT.
Washington Specialist Declares Lep.
rosy ContagiOn Not So Great

FOsy SOntaglOn NOT so treat
Washington. D. c.. July S1.-Popular
ignorance of the character of leprosy
is responsible, in the opinion of DR.. ].
c. MCGUIRE, professor of dermatology
in Georgetown university, for the gen.
eral fear felt of George Rossett, Sy-
rian leper, who is trying to get to
Mother Brother Island, New York
DR.. Mcclure holds there is no ex-
cuse for unfriendly treatment of Ros-
sett by railroad officials, because the
disease from which he suffers is only
slightly contagious. DR.. Mcclure says
in commenting on the suffering to
which Rossett was subjected through
inability to obtain meat or drink:
The ignorant people could hardly
be blamed for the roar which they ex-
hibited, but what excuse can the rail-
road officials offer for such inhuman
treatment. when they easily could
learn that the danger of contracting
the disease under such circumstances
was so small as to be hardly consider
ed? According to the best authorities,
imported cases in Paris. London,
Vienna Berlin, New York. Chicago and
other cities when the disease was not
epidemic has never given rise to
others.
would much prefer to be this Door
fellows travelling companion than to
be closely associated with one suffer-
Ing with disease of which there are
thousands of examples right here in
Washington.
What is leprosy? Its origin is I'M
known. though we can trace its history
to the remotest ages. The disease
mentioned in the Bible as zaarath,
meaning leprosy, is not really the dis
ease we now know by that name.
I'm the fourteenth century the dis
ease was more prevalent than ever be-
fore or since. About the time of the
discovery of America it was on the de-
cline, and by the middle of the six
teenth century had almost entirely dis
appeared from Europe. Today it is
found particularly in Norway, Sweden
Russia. Japan, South America, Cuba
and the Sandwich islands
I'm this country it has been estimat-
ed that there are now between three
hundred and five hundred cases, which
occur more frequently in Louisiana
California and portions of Minnesota
and Iowa. Isolated cases have been
observed in nearly every state in the
union. 1t is not at all infrequent to
have such cases present themselves at
medical clinics in New York, Chicago,
Philadelphia and other large cities.
Twenty years ago, while attending
the medical clinics in New York city
| recall several cases that appeared
daily as old standbys that were shown
for the benefit of the classes"
Dr. Besnier of the Hospital st. Louis
of Paris. the largest hospital in the
world for the exclusive treatment OF
the skin. says: "Leprosy is so slight
ly contagious that victim of the NAL
ady might pass his whole life in daily
contact with his fellows in large city
without the disease being conveyed to
a single individual AS this is dis
tinctly contrary to the generally ac-
cepted idea, perfer to give the opin-
ion of others.
Prof. Stelwagon. professor of der
motology in the Jefferson medical COL
lege, Philadelphia, and a we'll recog-
nized authority upon the subject, says:
There is growing belief that the
malay is not directly contagious or
inocculahle from man to man."
PROF. Hutchinson considers the
cause of the disease is in the eating of
fish that contain the bacilli, and that
1t is not contagious.
Though 1t is now accepted without
question that the disease can only be
caused by the introduction of the ba-
cillus within the system, there are 9TH
er factors to be considered, such as
the susceptibility of the individual,
hereditary weakness of the tissues, eli
mate, food, etc.
Every one who comes in contact
with leprosy does not contract it. In
fact, only very small minority are
In any danger, but even this very re-
mote possibility of contracting such a
repulsive and fatal disease is suffi-
cient to cause every case to be strict
ly isolated"
Il am going to have nv hands in.