The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-09-17
SURGERY AND
EUCALYPTUS
Regarded by Dr.. GOodhue as the
Best Treatments for
Lepr0sy.

DR.. Goodhue, physician at the Leper
Settlement, in his report for the year
ending June 80, 1905, makes very
clear report on the various lines ana
methods of medical treatment OF
leprosy which are being tried there.
He briefly indicates the kind of treat
ment, and the results obtained. The
list shows the very wide range of ex-
perimentation that is going on. De.
signaling each kind of treatment usual
ly by the active medical principle used,
he described the Solol treatment, the
Oleum Gynocardium, the Eucalyptus
Globulus Distillate, Creosote, Ichthyol,
the Ishii treatment, the Perchloride OF
Mercury and Iodide of Potassium, the
Nastin, DR.. Goto s pills and bath medi-
cines, Gurjun oil, Tua-tua, and DR.. Br1n-
ton s specific.
The creOsoGe treatment is OF no avail
except where the disease is complicated
with tuberculosis, when it has been
found useful The Gurjun oil, the Tua-
tua and Dr. Brinton s specific have
been found absolutely Worthless.
There seem to be fashions in rene
dies, or at least in the popularity of
remedies at the Settlement. First one
thing is taken up by everybody and
then it is dropped and something else
is taken up. DR.. Goto's treatment
which has been widely heralded and has
enjoyed much credit is now absolutely
abandoned by the lepers themselves,
none of them ever calling for the rene,
dies any more, though they would be
furnished if they were called for.
The Ishii treatment was applied for
by some of the japanese patients dur
ing the year, and they were provided
with it. At once nearly everybody
began taking this remeay, at least over
three hundred did But now there are
not dozen using it. In a few cases
it's use seemed to be beneficial.
The Eucalyptus treatment is the one
that has held the lepers most constant
Iy and is the one by all odds which
in the experience of the physicians is
Of real value. DIR. Holman, the assist
ant physician at the Settlement, makes
an extended report on this treatment
in which he says that in practically all
eases it IS very greatly palliative, and
as to very many of the incon,
yeniences of the disease and as to some
Of the clinical effects of the disease.
They cannot claim it as a cure, how
ever, because they have not yet been
able to cure anyone. But they believe
that if they could get patient in the
first stages of the disease they could
cure him. All the cases they have been
able to deal with are of from five to
,wenty-fives years standing. During
he past year there have been about
e75 lepers taking this treatment with
more or less regularity.
DR.. -GOedhue makes the statement /
hat in the present stage of our knowi- |
,dge of the disease. leprosy is empha- |
ically surgical disease. That is to
,ay, that surgical treatment of the |
.linieaI manifestations of the disease |
IAN do more for the comfort of the pa.
lent, and in staying the progress OF |
he disease than any medical treatment |
10 far discovered:
The use of the remedy and the |
of eucalyptus trees in the Set !
,iement DIR. GoOdhue believes has had |
very valuable therapeutic effect, due |
hat the baths leave the perfume of
he eucalyptus on the body, which |
keeps away the mosquitoes. The euca-
vptus trees themselves have a deter
.ent effect on mosquitoes, and to the |
of mosquitoes in the Settle
nent Dr. Goodhue attributes the alb
,ence this year of epidemies of leprous
md other fevers which have hitherto
,een a periodical fact.
This improved condition has been es-
,ecially noticeable in the Baldwin
Home which is surrounded on the wind
ward side with eucalyptus, now well
crown.
The anthropoid ape which was given
o DIR. Goodhue for experimental pur
'oses, though thoroughly inoeulated
With serum containing many of the
,acilh of leprosy, has as yet shown no
eaction.
The number of lepers ar the Settle
nent on June 80, 1908, was 791 as
gainst 79S the year before. During
he year 70 died. By nationalities,
here were 693 Hawaiians. AZ Chinese,
g Portuguese. Americans, Japan
Sc. 6 Germans, 3 South Sea Islanders,
nd Porto Ricans, and one each of
Danes, French Canadians, Swedes, Fill
inos. Tahitians, Russians, Koreans,
Dutch and British, the latter being
legro.
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