New-York tribune., 1908-03-08
SAFE IN MOLOkAl.
No Danger Noe for Those Minis-
tering to LeperS.

Honolulu, Feb. 21.-The recent announcement from
New York that young Belgian priest had Just
landed there with the intention of coming to MO
lokai devote his life 10 the lepers and that ne
expected sooner later fall victim TO the dis
ease created little thrill here, and probably least
of all in the Roman Catholic mission under whose
direction the youn5 priest will work There are no
more martyrs crowns like that Of Father Damien
to be won in the Mololai leper settlement. The
priest who goes there now TO work among the lep-
and falls a victim TO the disease becomes at
once object of suspicion. and instead of ecces-
astica approval is very likely to get ecclesiastical
censure and certain to get ecclesiastical discipline
of very efacing kind.
There is known about leprosy than
there in Father Damen's time. second
Father Damien is impossibty. 1t is known
that cleanliness and care are practically certain
safeguards against IL The whole history OF leprcsy
in these islands, and especially in the Molokai set
tement, goes to show that the disease is spread
only through intimate social and domestic relations
which wholly unnecessary between Iepers and
those who minister them either as priests or
nurses
No one knows this better than the Bishop and
clergy of the Catholic mission which has had
charge of extensive work among the lepers for
thirty-fve years 1t is proved by the experiences
both of the secular agents of the Board Health
and of the clerical and other representatives of
the Church in the settlement. In the more than
forty years that il has been in existence there
have been only three superintendents. The first
MI. Myers, there for about thirty years. His
successor. after four five years service lost his
place, greatly to his anger. by a change in the
political situation. and the third has to keep
his political fences repair hold the place. SO
many there willing and anxious to get it.
There several employees OF the Board of
Health at the settlement VINO have been there for
periods varying from fourteen twenty-five years
rone of them showing any signs of the dis
ease, and all of them would feel themselves hardly
dealt with if they should now lose their places
Father Wendelin for fourteen years pastor
of of the two Catholic churches in the settle
ment. and it nearly broke his heart when his
Bishop him another parish outside the
settlement The Sisters of St. Francis have been
in charge Of the Bishop Home for Girls at the
settlement for fourteen fifteen years, Of
the sisters who there first still being there
Brother Joseph Dutton, who fellow laborer
with Father Damien. has lived than d quar-
ter of a century in the settlement. devotng him
self assiduOusly the welfare Of the lepers.
DR. Goodhue the physician, has lived ii the set
tlement with his family for several years. So. too,
has DR.. Holman, the assistant physician. There
is never any difficulty in obtaining servants.
Since Father Damien's time there has been only
one clean person who ministered to the lepers who
contracted the disease. This a young IS Igian
priest. who went TO the settlement six seven
years ago and was found be q lepcr about three
years ago. What his superiors thought of him may
be gauged the fact that he taken from
the settlement and is now in one of the chapter
houses of the order where only his superiors and
those with him know. There lie will remain in all
probability until death takes him, but there will
be martyrs crown for him.
Neither Church State sends any one to
the settlement with the expectation that he will
contract tho disease. Those who go expected
to keep themselves free from it by cleanliness and
wholesome living.