Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1908-01-03
Dr.. EDWARDS and the Ispsrs.
Special Correspondence

Au,Ilsu, Japin, August 25:- Inc
Lime If The mine al springs Of kusolu
is great hat have taken a jouruty
up here To- see If they ait as wonder.
{ as reported The japanese are
specially subject to rheumatism, al d
here are thousand men and women
bI he country VINO are so crippled
from il that they cannot walk. The
springs cure, also skin diseases aud
equity troubles, as well as being rs.
pecially efflcacious in early stages Of
leprosy. There is proverb in JapAu
that the springs Of kusatu cure all
diseases exc pit love-" There is a lep
er village short distance from the
village.
OF all the sad, heart breaking sights
| would be difficult 10 picture anything
worse than this Ieper village. Visitors
are not permitted in this village bu
)Sning to the fact that | am a med
lcal man the physician in charge ex
tended to me the courtesyiof tour of
inspection. The village has its rows Of
shops, inns, dwellings and bath no ses
and, so far as exterior appearances 20
Is no different than hundreds Of vii
ages in Japan. But every inhabitanl
is afflicted with leprosy, and were |
to relate some Of the shocking sights
| witnessed there, | am sure there
would be TOO revolving for your read
rs In many cases the disease can
be seen in the fingers and toes and
there is heavy, HOPELESS look on their
faces. They all seem as lileless as il
their faces were carved out Of wood.
These people take the baths at
frightfully high temperature and many
1f them, in addition to the baths, un
dergo a course Of burning by moxa.
Tiny cones Of wood, sometimes mum
bering up into the thousands, are ap
piled to affected parts Of the body and
gnited, thus repeatedly cauterising
the skin In one Of the houses we en-
tered dozen or more of the inhabit-
,nts were heroically undergoing the
application Of these burning cones.
The operator was woman Of about
30 years, who told me she had come
mere ten years ago, afflicted with lep.
rosy, but that she was completely
cured. On her face, neck, and arms
could be seen thousands of scars left
by the burning Of the moxa.
On our return trip we met an intel
legent Japanese medical student, who
had m UGH Of interest to tell me relat.
Ing to the life and customs of there
villagers, and also Of the many other
mineral springs Of Japan. He said
that even in the Oldest and wealhiest
families many cases Of leprosy occurred
and recited numerous pathetic instan
ces. While We were talking of the
sadness Of these cases a most pitable
spectacle passed US. 1t was caravan
On its way TO the leper village, con-
veylng young girl. Five Of her rela.
tlveS were escorting herto what might
be living death, and all were weeping
and wailing as they approached the
gates OF the village, the grl. who ap
peared to be about 20 years old was
small and very pretty. and was gor
geously gowned in silk rot e. She
kept ner hands conceded in the flow.
ling sleeves of her kimona however
there were evidences Of the disease.
1t seemed incomprehensible that ont
so young and beautiful should be at
flicted with this loa thsome dlseas,
but the authorities had discovered
her and she had to 60 to the lepe
Village.
The bath houses at Kusatu, anC
also at the leper settlement are crude
rough and primitive, they are nothing
but bamboo coops, set on poles oveI
holes in the ground. into which the
hot water of the springs seep. The