The evening world., 1908-11-25
. NUN TO DEVOTE
REST Of LIFE TO
CARE OF LEPERS
Sister Marcella, of Philadelphia,
Volunteers for Work in the
Louisiana Colony.
oo VICTIMS ARE THERE.
Five of Them Benefited and,
1t Is Believed, Cured by
New Treatment.
oo VICTIMS ARE THERE.

PHILADELPHIA, Nov, 25. - Sister
Marcells, for Ave years head OF the
dispensary at st. Joseph's Hospital 4:
this city. left to-day for New Orleans
and will Join the leper colony in Louist.
ana and devote the remainder OF he!
life TO nursing those sent there from all
parts of the United States,
There are now sixty-siX lepers in the
colony, who are attended by six sisters
of charity, whose mother house is at
Emmitsburg, Md. and by the Rev. A.
v. Keenan,, the chaplain. Recently one
of the sisters was taken Ill. Another
was needed. and Sister Marcella offered
her services.
Reports received here say that inter
esting experiments have been made
among the lepers in the colony, and five
have been greatly benefited and. IN
fact, 1t is believed have been cured of
this supposed incurable disease.
Among these is a woman of Kentucky.
who a few years ago was prominent IN
Louisville and the blue grass region.
Many years ago this woman's husband,
a man of large means and a merchant,
committed suicide by shooting The rea-
son for his suicide, which occurred in
Frankfort, was never known save to q
few friends. 1t was learned later. how
ever, that he had been told by physi-
clans in Indianapolis he had leprosy.
Disease in Rug.
One of his hobbies was collecting
rugs. and rug lrchased in Turkey Ia
hos mt BOD 10
germ of leprcsy to him.
The reason of his suicide was never
told to the wife and daughter. They
were we'll supplied with money. A few
years later, when the daughters had
grown into womanhood and attained
prominent place in the social life II
kentucky. the mother developed what
was thought TO be an eczema on the
hands and fingers. She was treated by
The best doctors in the State. but with
out result. Then 1t was developed She
had leprosy. and that she had either
caught the disease from her husband Or
that the same rug. which bore the germs
when ii was purchased in Turkey, had
infected her.
The fact that the widow and mother
of the two handsome girls was a leper
was kept secret. The woman was hur-
ried from her home to the leper settle
ment in Louisiana and the two girls
were taken to Europe on long trip.
Both of them knew their mother was
Ill, but neither suspects to-day she is q
leper and that their father was suicide
because he was leper.
House Is Dlsmantled.
The mother and daughters lived in q
splendid home in one of the principa.
towns in nentucky. After the daugn-
tiers left for Europe and the mother for
the leper colony, the home was closed,
and to-day II is still closed and boarded
up. 1t cannot be rented. and 1t never
vii! be.
The house was dismantled and the
furnishings sold to secondhand deal
been forced out of business.
Reports from the leper colony re-
ceived here recently say that all signs
of leprosy have left this woman. but
that before she was successfully treated
her ears had dropped off and she was
SCARED about the face, and without
hair. She now is occupying q cottage
just outside the colony, and has every
luxury and comfort money can buy. She
longs for her home, but will not return
TO Il for the sake of her two daughters.
There are many Others in the leper
colony who are not provided with
money, and who are practically without
friends or relatives. Mrs. Langan Ma
tor of an Episcopal church in Richmond.
has Interested herself in the lepers. and
has recently sent money and clothes to
them