The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-08-04


these. We believe that in one diseas
the germ acts somewhat more benign
ly than in the other. Under the mi
croscope of highest power, it is, very
difficult to determine exactly between
them. Only one is more segregated
the other appearing more individual
lied or scattered. Now in all lepel
asylums under the sun, in any climate
or geographical position, consumption
of the lungs or of the kidneys is prone
to appear, and finally to destroy the
victim of long-eontinued leprosy.
Whether such is a fresh incubation by
another germ or the result of change
of disposition in the original bacillus
none of us can say positively. Lepro-
sy of the lungs or of the kidneys is
identical in pathological appearance
with consumption of those organs.
Must we, then, because of our med
ical ignorance in these matters, in both
diseases, use brute force to preserve
the sanity of our body polite, our
race? Must we cruelty treat our con-
sumptives and lepers to prevent the
spread of the plague?
Is there any other way to control
their destructiveness in the communi-
ties? Is Wanted medical science a
failure in tuberculosis as in leprosys
Has it made no advance, since the
Middle Ages, as regards control of
these two Diseases
The important counsel regarding the
line of control in tuberculosis comes
from distinguished professor of one
of our best teaching medical schools,
to the thousands of its alumni, seat
tered throughout our States, at time
when the famous DIR. Koch, the world s
highest authority on tuberculosis, is
present here and receiving honors for
his discovery of the tubercle bacillus.
And even while he is extolling a serum
tuberculine for the cure of the disease. |
OF what value to humanity, suffer
ing or non suffering from either dis !
ease, have been the wonderful discov-
cries of Koch or Hansena We can
conquer neither disease one whit bet
ter by our knowledge of the presence,
as cause, of the tubercle and leper
bacilli. We must fight the battles
against the diseases, Independent of
such increase of medical knowledge
Our therapeutics in both diseases re-
main where they were before Koch and
Hansen were born. In consumption it
is nature who cures our patient. In
leprosy it is the same open-air treat
ment and super alimentation of pro-
suit. We accomplish our therapeutical
ends without Koch or Hansen. Medi
al science is a false claimant It is
'pen air and proper nutrition which
ave so many lepers from the disas
'gous mutilating effects of their infec
ion. Spontaneous cure of leprosy re- 1
ults only from such methods. Koch {
nd Hansen have taught us nothing Z
PRACTICAL excepting how to protect the
ealthy from contamination by the
lex. And even this was not necessary 4
or US to know, for the experience of s
he Middle Ages, and its isolation re 6
ult, had already taught us that.
We must admit that in no other way 4
an either disease be checked A dimi- :
ution of their epidemic spread can
N.Y. be favored by the isolation of IS
he sick. Brutal or cruel as it may &
EN-, we must harshly separate them. :
We must do in our day and genera -
on of medical so-called progress and %
vilization something very like what til
e Kanakas of the Sandwich Islands nj
Id unconsolously done for themselves e,
fore the Christians arrived there, in of
10 ST
Leprosv was prevalent in Hawaii for Sc
least $50 years before then. Tt did fo
# spread, however, until shark god hu
,rship was overthrow by Christian ho
:. Why2 Those idolators destroyed be
cir diseased and disabled ones, on les
nual feast days, as sacrifices to the on
d sharks. The intelligent medical tn
thorities of those times, the priests, TIN
n down and captured the sick ones, otl
e MANNED, the lame or weakly ones, CHI
om they killed and chopped into liz
ices, as food for the sharks Thus pet
cry year the diseased ones were the
ancd out, and leprosv had no chance to
spread fast. Foci for the germs hol
re thus made few. Such was relig- gel
/, F'medieal science, - of this period. les
e introduction of Christianity, with in
re pretenee of authority in leprosy ger
tiers, has resulted in allowing it to ney
ONE epidemic. Since 1921 it has str,
troyed the race. And this, too, by ire;
eading germs of the disease which
81 8