Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-24
case was furnished at the pension Office


today: .-9 p,
John r. Early. who served IN the
5th United States Cavalry from June "a,
1907 till November 3, 1906, (re-enlisted
twice. filed claim 9or pension July 81.
1907 alleging deafness of left ear, chronic
catarrhal Indigestion and kidney o'sease
His record in the service was eooo. Wnlie
in the service he was trea.eu ior Eacclha.
diarrhoea. malarial fevei. broken arm and
rheumatism at short intervals during his
long service In his claim Tor pension he
was examined September IL, 1917: by
the board of United states examining
surgeons at Fair Haven; ". ana sneht
ton and injury of knee. Nothing in rec
ord of treatment in service or the find
ings of the examining ooard lndicates
Ienrosy. At examination claimant was
thirty-four years old. nVe 5eet. n,ne ana q
one fourth inches high and weighed 152
mounds. AS the disabilities Tor which
nension is claimed are alleged to nave been
incurred in an early service. the claim
awaits evidence showing their existence
during his last term of enlistment"
View of an Expert.
Ieprosy is a slightly contagious dis
ease and cases of transmission. even
under the most favorable conditions. are
rare. according to Col Valery Hazard.
acting surgeon general of the army.
Col. Hazard has had a great deal of ex-
perience with the disease=in Cuba and
other places with the United states
Army.
when / was in Cuba few years
ago" he said to a Star reporter this
afternoon. Il inspected the leper hos
pital where there were about 100 pa
TENTS l learned that in the last dozen
years or more there had not been
single case Of Transmission or inIectlon
of
even among the nurses and WashWomen
''This talk about contagfon with regard
to leprosy is wholly unwarranted IN al
most every instance. 1t is the greatest
sort of exaggeration. A case OF eczema
any time is much more contagious than
leprosy The same is true of tuberculosis.
In the opinion of another government
official who has had experience WIN rep,
rosy in the Philippines. the exaggerated
statements regarding leprosy and the
treatment Of lepers are due almost al
together to superstition and to the fact
that it is a rare and orrible-appear1ng
disease.
No Danger Here.
mo matter how much this leper in the
District has Travelled around and come into
contact with people. there Is not the
slightest danger Of his having spread the
disease. 1t is true that he may have
given it to the members of his family
with whom he has lived intimately. but
even this may not be So.
West Is Not Afraid.
Commissioner West after consulting
with physicians and reading up on leprosy
said today that he was confident that the
disease was not particularly contagious
or infectious.
There are a number of what might be
termed mild cases of leprosy in the Dis
trict of Columbia to which little attention
is being paid. and victims are generally
supposed to be suffering from some acute
skin disease, according to an expert of
the marine hospital service who talked
with the Commissioners.
Mr.. West does not feel alarmed about
the presence of the leper in this city
Early Is Hopeful.
When seen at his camp this afternoon
by Star reporter Early said:
81 am feeling extremely well today.
Better than have felt at any time since
my arrival in Washington. / do not
suffer very much at any time, although
like an electric shock. as well as I can
describe it, The attendants here are
giving me the very best care and atten-
ton. and are satisfying all my wants, and
they are very few.
..While l do not doubt the ability Of
the government experts to diagnose my
complaint. am still hopeful that persons
more experienced in the treatment OF
leprosy will find that mistake has been
made 1 realize that mistakes of con-
siderably more Importance have fire.
Quently been made, and l am living IN
hope that this case will be such one.
I aslo realize that what sometimes seems
to be dreadful curse eventually proves
to be a blessing.
If it were not for my solid Christian
foundation l would not be able to bear
my burden SO well. My only trouble at
present is the thought Of being separated
been a Methodist for the past three years
/ have 1abored as Salvationist. serving
one year as an officer.
Early said he greatly disliked so much
publicity and added: During the past
two days have seen so many reporters
that i am getting tired going over my
poor life story. / continue to do 1t, how
ever, so that all persons who have come
in contact with me accidentally may as
certain the possible danger or infection
from that contact in season to take any
precautionary measures that are neces-
Sary.
Concerned About His Family.
Accepting. tentatively. the diagnosis
of the physicians as correct and If it is
their opinion that 1 am a dangerous leper
l am willing to go anywhere or do any,
thing that will insure the safety of others.
My greatest concern now is for my little
family. If it is leprosy from which 1 am
suffering l will face the end peacefully,
but with the constant prayer that my
wife and baby, exposed to danger as they
have been, may yet have escaped infec-
tion."
Early receives all his meals from the
kitchen Of the smallpox quarantine sta
ton. where they are cooked by Mr.. Re-
petit, the officer in charge. The sick
man has his own dishes, and the food
when prepared is transferred to them.
Early washes his own dishes afterward.
Three guards are on duty eight hours
each, and keep all visitors to the spot
at safe distance from Early and his
tent. Yesterday and today proved the
necessity for this precaution, as hundreds
of morbdly curious persons, many of
them women. tried to get a near view of
the camp and it's occupant and only the
restraining orders of the guards kept them
at distance.
UNKNOWN FIOATER FOUND