Evening star., 1909-05-25

JOHN r
which he had found quarters upon his ar.
rival in this city, to an Isolated point or
the quarantine reservation. The quarters
which he had occupied were disinfected
the evening of the very day on which the
case was reported to the health depart
ment
Leprosy Is Determined.
The following day specimens were
taken by Dr. Kinyoan from one OF the
leprous spots and examined in the labo-
ratory. They show lepra baciii. There
after there was and there could be no
question as to the nature of the rnaIady
from which Early was suffering
AT once steps were taken to make
Early as comfortable as possible pending
the making of permanent arrangements
TO care for him A tent was pitched on
the reservation to which he had been car
ried and he was provided with all the
necessaries of life. Guards were placed
about him to see that the thronE of
curious visitors who came to gaze at him
did not unnecessarily annoy him nor ex-
pose themselves to danger. and to see
of course. that Early did not break
Negotiations were at once entered into
looking toward his return to his native
state. where properly he belonged, but
his state would have nothing to do with
him.
EARLY had recognized that he was suf-
fering from some chronic disorder, and
had already attributed it to his army
service. The very purpose Of his visit to
Washington was to obtain pension.
The day before he was brought to the
attention of the health department he
had visited the pension bureau for that
purpose.
Apparently. at this time, he did not
hic. It'll, 1,i.,
pioyment in the pulp mill. Otherwise he
would hardly have sought pension.
Pension Bureau Acquiesces.
After he had been placed in quarantine.
the nature of his disease. as determined
by the health department, was brought to
the attention of the pension bureau. and
that Office dispa tched a medical examiner
10 investigate the case. He confirmed the
finding of the health department. Early
was promptly pensioned at the rate of $72
per month.
Later, when 1t appeared certain that
the District would have to care for Early
indefinitely. comfortable brick house on
the reservation was remOdeled SO as to
provide accommodations for Early and
other separate accomm odations for his
wife and child (now children), and his
mother-in-law, who was making her home
with Mrs. Early. Guards are stationed
bounds and to keep the curious from an
noying him. He has garden which he
cuitivates, and chickens that he cares for.
Moreover, during the early period of
his quarantine, the public of Washington.
believing that he was leper. subscribed
considerable amount for the benefit of
Early and his family. which amount has
been wholly or in part accepted by them
without any denial Of the nature of his
disease.
Health officials from other states
some or whom have been familiar with
lepers in their own jurisdiction and
elsewhere. have from time to time Wis
tied Early. In no instance, SO Tar as my
knowledge goes. has any one familiar
with leprosy. other than DIR. Bulkley
even suggested that Early was not suffer.
ing from that disease.
Puzzled by DR.. Bulkley.
81 am entirely at loss to understand
DIR. Bulkley's attitude with respect to this
case. He was. so 1 am told, informed
through private channels before his visit
to this city that the diagnosis in the case
had been confirmed clinically and bac-
teriologically by man whose scientific
attainments he must have recognized as
quite equal to his own.
''He knew. further, I have reason to be.
lieve. that the specimens taken from
Early at the time of the first examination
the health department and could be seen
by him IL he so desired. Yet he came to
Washington and did not trouble himself
10 see the specimens that had been taken
from this patient nor consult the physi-
clans connected with the health depart.
ment who had had Early under observa-
ton
He must have known that Early had
been pensioned by the United States as
leper, after due examination. But he
made no effort to communicate with the
officials OF the pension office.
He visited Early on the government
reservation In the quarters which the gov
ernfnent had provided. without troubling
himself to announce his coming either 10
the health officer or to the officer in
charge of the reservation. He went away
as silently as he came
1T was only through the enterprise OF
the press that the fact of his visit became
public and subsequently the identity of
the visitor was learned. 1t is now only
through the enterprise of the press that
his report Is In part made public.
This report, In SO far as 1t is made
public. abundantly denies that Early has
or has ever had leprosy. but fails utterly
10 disclose what. In DIR. Bulkley's opin-
ion, he is suffering from.
Conditions Not Explained.
The swelling Of the ulnar nerve, which
has been present ever since Early has
been under the observation of the health
department., could hardly be attributed to
work in a pulp mill. Neither could the
presence Of lepra bacilli in the tissues
Nor could the loss of sensation from
which in certain parts Of the body. the
patient is suffering be accounted for In
that way.
Il shall be very glad when / receive q
complete copy of the report.
An interesting disclosure resulting
from yesterdays visit was the apparent
disregard by Early and his family OF the
sanitary precautions to prevent the spread
of the disease, based presumably on their
BELIEF that he is not suffering from 1t.
Early. by his own admission. took a Sec
tien OF tissue from a leprous spot and
sent IL through the mails to a physician
in Sweden.
IF this can be accepted as an index OF
the attitude OF Early and his family to-
ward quarantine. and IT probably can. II
viii clearly be necessary for the depart
nent to render more stringent the quar-