The Washington times., 1908-10-07
Early Clings to the Hope
That Physicians Are
Mistaken.
WILL NOT STAND FOR
ANY EXPERIMENTS
Fears NaStin Treatment Would
Give Him Disease If He
Is Free Now.

They have not convinced me that l
have the leprosy. I don't admit that
] have It." exclaimed John r. Early.
the man Of misfortune, today. at his
leper camp far out in the rear Of the
District prison, on the edge of the Po-
tomac flats
L don't say that I may not have it,"
he continued. but I don't admit that I
have Under no circumstances will /
allow them to experiment on me.
Medical science has been mistaken too
often for me to take such chances. It
is pretty certain that If I didn't have the
disease. experiments would certainly
give II to me-"
With these emphatic words, John
Early declared that ne would not al
low the physicians 10 try the Nastin
system for the cure Of leprosy. which
has been proposed in his case. The
Nastin system is a method which was
discovered recently by Prof. DeycSe
Passe, director Of the Imperial Medical
School at Constantinople, and Raschad
Bey, who is also OF that institution
It consists in injecting cultures from the
leprosy bacilu into a patient already
afflicted with the disease
Cures Reported.
A few days ago a report from Well
ingtOn, New Zealand, told Of the cure Of
a Maori patient by means Of this treat
ment. and some time IN September. DIT.
Brinckerhcf, the Federal specialist
stationed at the Molokai leper settle
ment, reported that he had effected an
apparent cure with one Of his patients
by means of the same treatment.
The attitude taken Dy Early is rather
surprising. His declaration in the first
place. that he does not admit he has
The disease. is a new phase 10 the at
titude that the unfortunate man has
taken. While his refusal 10 undertake
the Nastin experiment IS not surpris-
ing If he is not convinced that he has
the disease, mis- contention that he is
not sure that he is afflicted, comes as
q surprise
Eariy's comfort and soIace during his
afhiction has been religion. The man
IS a firm believer in the teachings of the
Bible. and his belief that he is saved
has undoubtedly enabled him to accept
his terrible misfortune with a calmness
and serenity of mind that is more than
mere stOicism.
Takes No Chances.
IF" exclaimed Early. my having
this disease. If I have il, will benefit
know that this existence here IS but q
small part Of our real life"
But an instant later, when he Is
asked what he will do to try and re-
cover from the disease. he declares
mo. sir; I won't let these doctors make
any apOthecary shop out Of me- l wont
have them putting all sorts OF drugs
into my body. / am taking some kind
OF oil now, and II that doesn't do any
good, then / will not take any more
treatment l tell you sir. that IF ! have
this thing, the final help and relief must
come from a higher power than the
mere hand Of medical science, and Z,
Him have I turned for relief, and pray
10 Him 10 release me from my afflictiOn
Yes, ] read about that Nastin sys-
tenn Of treatment, and l tell YOU
won't allow II to be tried on me. Why
look here, suppose / haven't got this
disease. If 1 allow them to inject cul.
lures OF the leprosy into me. it would
certainly give me the disease. Medica
science has made too many mistakes fol
me to run any such chances"