New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-03
THE NATIONS LEPERS.
Effort to Establish a Home for Them
DolCn South.

New Orleans, March IF the plans or Dr ISa-
dore Dyer and other physicians of Louisiana are
carried out, the despairing cry of the leper. I'm
clean! UncIean." may gradually become thing
Of the past and the world may find that leprosy
Is a durable instead of an incurable disease.
II energy and constant effort meet with
cess, the United States within few years will
see established in Louisiana national home for
kpers where these unfortunate persons from
all over the country will be brought for treat
meat and, in many cases, ultimate recovery
There is only one place en- this continent
where the leper may find refuge and home
tlat will afford him all the necessary comforts
of life This home is situated in the State OF
louisiana in IberviIe Parish, on a large tract
Of land bordering the Mississippi River, and in
,nte-bellun DAYS was called Indian Camp plan
tation. The same name still clnSs to the eS-
tate, but instead Of old fashioned plantation
house. with its barns and stables and Negro
quarters and its fields green with cane or white
with cotton. there is the attractive administra-
tson building remodeIled from the ancient plan
tation big house." and clustered about a num-
ser Of low roomy modern brick structures
which serve as sleeping quarters and treatment
rooms for the patients.
This is the Leper Home OF the State OF Louisi-
ana, directly under state oversight and gov
srned by a board of control Here for the last
few years DIR. Isadore Dyer, consulting leprol-
,gist ana DR.. Ralph Hopkins, visiting physician.
have struggled 70 cure the disease. and slowly
but surely they have demonstrated. they declare,
that if it be taken in hand before the last stages
have been reached leprOsy. by means of a Ger
tain course of treatment may be eradicated from
the body
Since 1894 there have been admitted 70 the
Home lOI patients OF this number three have
bav
teen have absconded- is run away from
the home-and forty-four remain at Indian
Camp.
or the three cases discharged the first was
mat Of a boy admitted in October 1902, at the
age Of thirteen He was discharged December Z.
1904 as cured and has been kept under observa-
don ever since. Reports show that there has
been no return Of any evidence of the disease
The second case was that OF n woman ad-
Hitted August TO- $780, at the age OF fifty.
and discharged cured December 10 1919 There
has been no evidence of 4 recurrence of the
disease in her case. This patient was kept egh-
teen months under observation after LESSONS
had disappeared before she was discharged
trom the Home.
The third case was that OF woman admit
ted June ., 1904. at the age OF thirty years.
and discharged April %. 1906 cured. She was
kept II the Home more than a year under OBJ
servation after the Iesicns had disappeared
Eight OF the patients now AZ the Home show
a type OF arrested disease. with no active le-
sions and no evidence of tine disease except
augmentation. OF this number at least six are
now under observation. with view to their
discharge after a reasonable period of freedom
from the disease.
This is the triumph OF medical science at the
Louisiana State Ieper Home. but il is only
the beginning. II represents many years of
toll and self-denial on the part of public spir-
tied citizens, attending physicians and last but
probably greatest OF all. the Sisters Of Charity
who have devoted their lives To ministering to
the Iepers.
mot many people seem to realize Il, but lep-
rosy is on the increase in the State Of Louisiana
and. for that matter. throughout the entire
country" said DR.. Dyer in n recent interview
'-The cause of this increase may be laid to the
fact that. with the exception of Louisiana there
are no organized homes in the United States
for the care and treatment of persons afflicted
with the disease For many years I have rec
pgniZed the need of a national institution for
the treatment of lepers. Many others have
agreed with me, but far concerted ac-
ton has been taken looking TO the attainment
sf this end.
-Erom now ON we shah endeayor To hrFD,