Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-02
'LEPROSY AS A DISEASE
Interesting Facts Disclosed by
Surgeon General Wyman.
LEPER COLONY IN HAWAII
Its Inhabitants Are Dismembered and
Their Bones Exposed.
DR. COOPER'S SPECIAL REPORT
Statistics Showing Increase and De-
crease Of the Malady-I.s Vic
Tins Comparatively Happy.
Written for The Star.

Written for The Star
The most unique municipalities to be
found in the domain of Uncle Sam are the
pretty villages Of Kalaneo and Kalaupa pa,
on the eastern shore of the Island of Molo-
kai, one of the Hawaiian Islands, situated
about forty miles distant from Honolulu.
These villages, isolated and segregated from
all human society by the natural fortihca-
lions Of nature, which appear to have
united in an awful upheaval to create this
isolated spot of land, are the great leper
colonies of the United States.
The existence of this frightful human
disease among the people of the Islands
does not seem to cause them any apparent
apprehension or alarm. They know that
leper colony exists on the Island of Molo-
kai. but few have ever visited this colony
and they know nothing of the Inhabitants.
But those who have visited 1t have re-
turned with frightful memories of the
scenes they witnessed. They have seen as
many as a thousand people suffering from
this awful disease. Here more than,
thousand souls are congregated who are
subject to a process of dfsmemberment day
by day. Some of them are without hands,
others have lost their arms, while still
others are without arms or legs. This pro-
cess of dismemberment is brought about
by the ma1ady from which they are suffer-
ing. Sores will appear an arm, and
later the member will wither, and in course
of time will fall from the trunk. A cheek
may become infected, and in course of time
the side of the face will fan off. leaving the
bones exposed. In this colony one can see
human beings with no legs or arms. but
mere trunks; others with only one side OF
their face left. And yet these victims ap-
pear to be happy and fight to the last for
a prolongation of life.
Hawaiian Leper Station.
The location of the towns of Kalanao and
Kalaupapa on the Island of Molokai seems
to have been planned by nature for leper
colonies. Nature has made it impossible
for one to escape from this island when
once placed thereon The fertile plains on
the eastern shores of Molokai are shut on
on the east by precipitous and perpendicu-
lar mountains. which no human being has
ever yet been able to scale. There is but
one pass through these rugged cliffs, and
this is carefully guarded day and night by
sturdy Sentinels to prevent the escape OF
one of the imprisoned. On the eastern side
the island is surrounded by impregnable
shoals. which prevent the landing of any
vessel There is but one ingress and egress
for vessels, and this is only reached by
shallow draught ships. This point is to
the north of the town of kalaupapa, and
can only be reached at high tide, and 1t is
guarded by picked officers of the health de-
partment of Hawaii,
In a report submitted to Surgeon General
Wyman Of the marine hospital service, DIR.
c. B. Cooper, chairman of the committee
on leprosy of the islands, reviews the his
tory of leprosy in the territory and urges
the national government to assume COM
plete charge of the leper problem under the
supervision of the marine hospital service
He sets forth many reasons why this should
be done in the interest of public health and
for the protection of the people of the
United States.
Lying near the center of the Pacific
ocean and in thes direct line of commerce
and travel to the orient, the Philippines
and Australia, and being the port of call,
the people of Honolulu and of the territory
of Hawaii are obliged to guard against cpl
denies from the four quarters of the Pa
cific," says DR.. Cooper in his report. 1.-The
territorial board of health, working In con-
junction with the United States marine
service. is thus protecting the publk, health
of not only the territory of Hawaii. but
acts as barrier to the transmission of cpl
denies to the Pacific coast ports. We are
eight scattered inhabited islands with but
two ~or three harbors in the group Con-
tinufng, he says:
DR.. Cooper's Recommendation.
I'VE believe we are justified in asking:
First. That as our climate is peculiarly
favorable for the treatment and hygienfc
conditions of leprosy, and as our settle
ment contains the greatest range OF sub
| jects, In all stages of the disease, the
| United States government promptly estab-
| lish at the settlement station for thor
| ough scientific investigation and research
| of this dreaded disease, under charge Of
| the best qualified specialists
Second. That having established such
a station the federal government shall con-
| slider It's duty toward at least aiding the
| These two objects would require but a
| small share of the net profits acci-uing to
| the federal treasury from the territory Of
1 Hawaii.
| THE necessity of prompt action on the
| part of the federal government becomes at
once apparent, then stop to consider
| that leprosy already exists in the states in
alarming proportions, and that in most of
| the states the persons thus afflicted are
permitted to roam at large, thus exposing
! the entire community.
The number of known cases as set forth
In DIR. Wymans report of 1902 cannot help
| but arouse public attention to the fmpera-
| tive necessity of placing this disease under
| az least partial national supervision. In
| 1902 there were known to be 27s lepers In
the states, and of this number 298 cases
| were not confined in institutions or Isolated
| from society"
History Of Disease.
| Surgeon General Wyman recommends
| that the government take immediate steps
to segregate these lepers from society, and
adds:
The question 10 often asked how we are
1 to get rid of the cases we now have. I
| answer that we must do as other countries
have done. and segregate these, unfor-
tunates. In France alone, in 122ki during
the reign OF Louis VIII. there were 2,o00
leper asylums, while the number OF asy-
| lums In all OF Europe was about 10000.
BY closely combining their lepers In these
/ countries have almost driven the disease
out OF the land. So long as segregation was
practiced they succeeded admirably. but
when they felt safe and became apathetic
Ii again commenced to increase.
| .Leprosy in this country u the ttirect re-
suit Of lack of proper Immigration In
i spection laws. All Of the. cases existing
| in the states prior to 1850 came from, or
i were contracted from, lepers arriving from
Cuba. South American countries. Mexico
and Hawaii. The spread OF the disease IN
j this country, therefore. demands prompt
il action by the government In Colombia