, 1909-11-20

AS [ see that the Community at large by
;4s presence here shows such interest in the
matter, it may not he considered out of
Mace. if I offer a few additional remarks on
the subject.
The idea of isolating the lepers dates
back very far indeed, far back into the mid
die ages. You may consider it q side issue
when commence with an allusion to the
name of the disease, but it is often so, that
a word, a mere name, reveals to us o chapter
of the worlds history.
The disease is in English and in most
other European languages called lepra or
leprosy. This comes from q Greek word
lepra, which means only q rash,-and that
word, does not teach US much. But now
il go happens that we have i'll Danish a word
for the disease quite different and which
is. peculiar to Danish, no other language
known to me has a similar name. We call
the disease "Spadalskhed" and the sufferers
from it "spedal8ke". Where does that word
come from? It comes simply from "Hospi-
tal'; perhaps you will be able better to un-
derstand it, when I say, Spital instead of
Hospital, but you will at once hear it If l
use the italian word "Ospedale." Now the
word Ospedale, OF Hospital, has nothing what
ever to do with sickness or sick people, as
YOU may be inclined to think. 1t comes
from a Latin word "Hospes," which means q
'Guest" and nothing else. Italy was one OF
the first countries, which in the middle ages
erected "OspedaIi," that is places for receiv,
ing poor suffering people as guests-and most
especially lepers. And what the Middle ages
did in their time we are now in our time re-
newing, by taking in poor Lepers as guests in
our Asylums. You may be astonished to hear
that exactly 700 years ago, in the year 1900,
there were not less than 1000 such asylums
for lepers in France, no doubt owing to the
kindness and care of the clergy. And this
proves two things first that the disease must
have had an enormous spread III the middle
ages, and next, that we can never be too
thankful to those ages fer trying to check
and limit this dreadful calamity-for with
out these Hospitals or Asylums in the me-
dieval times all Europe would by now be
overrun by this fell disease.
What they did then is exactly what hrs
been done here to-day, and this Community
can never be too grateful for what the Odd
Fellows Order has done for us ont here
and once more, Mr.. G~randslre, I beg to
convey to you and your iIlustrious Order in
the name of the Community, Of the Colonial
Council and in nay own, the expression of
our deepest gratitude and our most heart
felt thanks.
His ExceIlency the Governor, then spoke
as follows:
"Mr. Grand Sire, Ladies and Gentlemen.
I have, the honour to express the thanks
of the Danish Government for the noble
and generous gift conferred by the Odd
Fellows Order of Denmark on suffering
humanity in the Danish West Indies. l
venture to hope that the work will be car
ried on in a way and a spirit worthy Of the
donors"
And, turning to DR.. Boyer, said
"Efter Hans Majest@t Kongens til Finants-
ministeren mundtlig fremsatte Onske og
efter mig at Fipantsministeren dertil til
lagt Ordre har jeg dernsest den ERE paa
Hans Maiestaets Vegne at overr@kke Dem,
DR.. Boyer, som Ordenens Stor-Slre nRr-
yterende Dem af Hans Majestet allernaa-
digst tildelte Decoration som Commandeur
at 2den Grad af Neutrality-suspicious.
To which DR.. Boyer replied
'tDeres Excellense
Maa jeg til Dem som Hans
Majest@t Kongens Representant udtale min
dybtfolte Tax for den kongeli8e Made
beyisning der er bleven mig tildelt paa en-
saa erefuld Wis, og for de Naadebevlsnlnger