The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-07-08
THE LONDONS
At SETTLEMENT
Think the Place a Revelation
Went Out Over the
Pali.

Mr.. and Mrs. Jack London returned
from the Molokai Leper Settlement
early yesterday morning.
''sThe place is a revelation, said
Mrs, London yesterday afternoon. lit
seems as though there is as much at
Kalaupapa in mitigation of the disease
and its consequences as there could be
anywhere. All things considered, the
people are cheerful and happy. They
enter into the concerns of the settle
ment with interest and enthusiasm. The
races on the Fourth of July certainly
| provoked as much interest as races do
anywhere. People had their favorites
among the horses and whether they
backed them or not with money they
were anxious for them to win. We
! heard of one man there who won
hundred dollars on the races. There
were other sports too. Mr.. London and
| I were made Judges of the pau riding.
There was target shooting in which
We took part, and though I didn t
make any records, I really did better
than I expected to, with the heavy and
unaccustomed rifles.
I've went everywhere in the settle
ment, except, of course, into the private
houses. One of the surprising things
is the comparative affluenee of the
people there. Of course, they are sup
h.. hzy~
all have horses One woman we heard
of has three different houses in differ
ent parts of the settlement giving her
a different climate and different sur
roundings in different parts Of the
year.
Superintendent McFeigh seems TO
have the entire confidence Of the peo- |
pie there. He seems popular, and at
the same time is a disciplinarian.
We came out over the Pail. At |
first they said we could not come out /
that way because of the steepness and /
difficulty of the trail. But the Meyers |
came over from the other side Of the /
Pail while we were at the Settlement |
and so il was arranged that we should /
go back with them. | rode a mule up |
the trail. They were repairing it from
all the way. and an occasional stone
rolling down or something of that sort
was not always the pleasantest thing
in the world. But we made the ascent /,
in safety, and it was an interesting
experience.
We were the guests of the Meyers
on the southern side Of the Pail until
we took steamer yesterday.
- believe that If il were my fate
to be deprived of my freedom as the
people at the settlement are, I could
endure It better at KaIaupapa than
anywhere else that know Of -
I learned a great deal, . said Jack
London. and my ideas about leprosy )
and the settlement were considerably !
modified by our visit there. There can :
be no doubt IN my mind that lepers r
are very much better of at the settle :
ment than they would be elsewhere. :
There their condition Is looked after :
medically and surgieally and all that
can be done for them IS done The :
disease often takes the form OF a de- lr
structlve attack on the system for r
awhile, and then there viii be an ap- :
parent cessation OF its ravages for a
long period, sometimes for years. Those
who are not IN the settlement are in
hiding IN fact. whether in form or not
suffering one of these destructive at i
tacks without proper medical or sur
-leaI attention the rayages Of the dis
ease may 20 farther than If they were
at the settlement and had proper treat
nent. Necrosis Of the bone for in
stance may set in. and, unchecked.
bring death. The surgical operations h
We saw were all of new arrivals. q
l here were cases where severe opera i2
ions involving necrosis of the bone is
we're performed, with the expectation z
hat after recovery from the operation s.
mere might be no further progress of il
he disease for a long time Those Il
VINO have been there longer have al II
eady undergone these operations if
hey were needed, and are experiencing al
5 much relief from the disease as It CT
possible IN the present state OF our IT
Howiedge OF it. Dr. Goodhue and his II
SSlstaRt, Dr. Holman. certainly do not dt
pare themselves IN the work thew do a
nd are trying 10 do. Everywhere in =
ae settlement we found evidences that -
nat could be done was being done 9
ne place Is unique There Is great D'
cal IN the life and sentiment Of the ..
lace thar Is intensely interesting go
Ihe Loadons expect TO visit Maui =
lortly. They viii spend some time al -
aleakala- The time when they go has =
Of Just vet been determined on. The :
nlshing up Of the Shark Is not vet
7mPleted. and while the work on II
being done the Londous are making int
me Of the trips that otherwise they ad
light have made in her. Bo
Wa
LOGAN TOMORROW. tic
on