Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-04-09

View of One of the Buildings of the
 leper Colony.
 sissippi river, and in ante.bellum days
 was called Indian camp plantation
 The same name still clings to the es
 tate. but instead of an old-fashioned
 plantation house, with it's barns and
 stables and negro quarters and its
 fields green with cane or white with
 cotton, there is the attractive admin.
 istration building remodeled from the
 ancient plantation "big house." and clustered about number of low,
 roomy modern brick structures which
 serve as sleeping quarters and treat
 ment rooms for the patients.
 1 This is the leper house of the state of Louisiana, directly under state over- i sight and governed by board of con
 trol. Here for the last few years Dr..
 1sadore Dyer, consulting leprologist,
 and Dr. Ralph Hopkins, visiting physi. elan, have struggled to cure the dis
 ease. and slowly but surely they have demonstrated, they declare, that if 1t
 be taken in hand before the last stages
 have been reached, leprosy. by means Of a certain course of treatment, may
 be eradicated from the body.
 Since 1894 there have been admit ted to the home 101 patients. Of this number. three have been discharged as cured, 40 have died. 14 have abscond- ed-that is. run away from the home and A remain at Indian Camp.
 Of the three cases discharged the first was that of a boy admitted in October. 1902, at the age of 13. He was discharged December 2, 1904, as cured, and has been kept under ob. servation ever since. Reports show that there has been no return of any evidence of the disease.
 The second case was tbat of woman admitted August 10. 1900, at the age of 60, and discharged cured December 19. 1905. There has been no evidence of recurrence of the disease in her case. This patient was kept IS months under observation after lesions had disappeared before she was discharged from the home.
 The third case was that of woman admitted June 2, 1904, at the age of 30 years. and discharged April 25, 1906. cured. She was kept at the home more than year under observa ton after the lesions had disappeared.
 Eight of the patients now at the home show type of arrested disease, with no active lesions and no evi. dence of the disease except pigmenta. tion. Of this number at least six are now under observation. with a view to their discharge after a reasonable period Of freedom from the disease.
 This is the triumph of medical sci ence at the Louisiana state lepcr home, but it is only the beginning. It represents many years of toll and sel.. denial on the part of public spirited citizens. attending physicians. and last. but probably greatest O. all, the Sisters of Charity wto have devoted their lives to minis.ering to the lep. CTS.
 The treatment which has accom-. plished such wonderful results con. sists. it is said. in .administering. ichthycl. chlorate of potash. sfrych- nine. salicylate c. soda. chauimugra oil ard arsenic. The best results seem to follow the treatmen. with o!. and strychuine, the three patients discharged as cured having had this course.
 The method of treatment is lsrgel- o1e Of nutrition. 1t being known that If resistance can be established in the individual patient the disease will disappear. All patients, therefore. are required to take daily ilo; naths. eat plenty of wholesome food. xithc.. re- spect 10 its being fish. flesh. f.wl or vegetable. and to spend as much time IS possible in the oper air and sun shine.
 Among other improvements planned for the near future are a chapel. a re- frigerating plant. another 20 room cottage for female patients. a steam plant. fire department and drainage Screening of all the houses will follow as soon as sufficient funds are in hand. Every effort of | he board of control is being direct d toward making the home a home indeed for the afflicted lepers