The Washington herald., 1908-08-24
Il lsn-osr- contarInuse

Is leProsy- contagious
This question has been brought to the
fore again by The discovery Of a lePer
in Washington. who. for several days, has
been eating al public restaurants and
sleeping al a public lodEing-house-
Lieut. Charles E Mcdonald. United
States army surgeon. who has had con-
siderable experience with the disease
while in the Philippines. declares it is
not coutagious and only slightly infec-
tious- he asserts il cannot be caught by
contact with victim. and that It is
means Of prolonging life.
Dr. D. Percy Hickling. physician in
charge Of the Washington Asylum Hos
pi-aI. and a man who has dealt. with
about all OF the ais 10 which mankind
is subject asserts the disease IS con-
1ag5ous, and that others may catch it
through contact with an afflicted person
Question Is Argued
The possibility Of contagion from using
a CUP, dish. or bedding Of a lsper is a
question that has been argued by medical
men since the time the disease was. placed
n the category Of infectious diseases
'Leprosy." said Dr. Kicking. 'is listed
as a mildly contagious disease. ranking
tuberculosis in this respect. Il cannot be
caught by contact with 2 lePeT on one
occasion. The contact must be continuous
10 permit Infection
-Leprosy Is a disease caused by the
presence Of a germ Il IS spread By
means OF continual contact. Thus the
VIE Of q Isper IS IN grave danger OF
contracting his zilmsnt while the physi-
clan who treats him Is practically safe
NO better Illustration IS needed than
the weu-knovn fact that those who enter
q Ieper colony. sound in body. inevitably
contract the disease II they remain
The disease IS subtle. Il attacks the
body before the victim Is aware and
once the germs are upon him, there IS
10 relief save death
Designation. a gradual deadeui1g q
the sense Of touch. a lack Of sensation
II the portions OF the body afflicted, the
affected parts finally falling on are the
gradual steps leading UP 10 the death OF
The victim. The disease takes about
twelve years 70 accomplish its end
Dr. Kicking asserted that the theory
-ha- decsyed clans and FISH were the
cause OF The disease was fallacicEs- The
eating OF dsccuposed seaf0o6. he said.
resulted In an affection similar 0urwsrdly
70 I=pr0s-. but was not the disease itself.
IF TIE man now in Washington has
eaten from dishes IN public restaurants.
said he there IS a slight chance that
other patrons Of The places may become
effected with The disease
The chance that others VIII become
affected IS slight even more slight than
il the case Of a tIberCu-ar patient, but
there IS q possibility
Lieut. Mcdonald. in a recent report
made 70 Dr. ISzd1r DYER a member Cf
The Ieprosv congress. states thar in his
experience lie has not yet come across a
case where the victim was contaminated
by contact with another afflicted person.
These Were TubercuIosis.
Many OF the so-caUed cases OF Isp-osv
have proved 10 be ordinary cases OF IT,
bercuIczis. 8Ic-osc0pical examinations
made by the various physicians engaged
70 coIonize the Iepers have proved this
fact
The lepers seen IN the mountains along
The Dolores River seemed TO be happy
and couterred- They stated that they SUI
fered little. II any, although many were
much 6eformed and crippled as a result
CT the disease
It would seem quite probable from the
observations made among these people
that
Fi-s--sani.z-i-n has E.,s. If ary,hi-z. 20 do with
the c-1--a--.az OF s1-eaf u The disease.
Seo-n5-Tlsr the disease is not Contagious an
o-l- slightly infections
Tai-5-T5a- II 67ss prolr-z life. owing TO pe-
c--izr E1-n-i-i--
F0g-rh-Thar he ssri-z rs fish ard shell fish Pays
al important rz-- IN -Le e-i0l0ET u the disease
F1th-T1a- Il nay possibly be- obs-re form
o. rabe--losis am1-s The lover animal Ire IN fzl
clans ard z-a5ls-
S5z-h-TEat thee Is Ts1y Er-le szEzing and dis
C1-rf1-- sE-u-- then
Se-e--h-Tlz- ler-1sT e a disease tlzt Is not as
Gz-car1uE zz a-s led 70 believe
Ezhta-Thzr thsrs are several forms of lz1-osy that
are not C-zssl5ei-