The Detroit times., 1909-07-22
CRY 'UNCLEAN' HAS
LOST ITS TERROR
Eleven Persons Condemned as Lepers
Have Been Released and New Era
Dawns for Dread Colony.

HONOLULU. Hawaii, July "a
Have the Biblical accounts OF mirac-
ulous cures OF leprosy been duplicated
In the world famous MolokaI Settle
ment? Or nave mcn and women and
even CHILDREN in the past been con-
signed TO a living death though I'M
touched by the dread disease?
Eleven lepers. eight men. one wom-
an and two boys. or at least IL per-
sons formally declared lepers at differ
ent times 10y the medical authorities
OF the board Of health. have as form
ally and officially been declared not
lepers and released from exile In the
leper settlement IL Molokal. With
their release mas come a new era OF
hope for Molokai.
Some OF these eleven had been In
exile In the Molokai Settlement for
20 years or more. some for only d
year. In the case OF those sent
score OF years ago. they were condemn
ed as lepers on the purely clinical
manifestations of the disease, before
the microscopical test showing the
actual presence OF the bacillus OF lap
rosy had come into general use. But
in all the latter cases the microscope
cal test, which is considered infailible,
was used.
Declared Not Lepers.
The microscopical test aow fails
to reveal the presence OF the bacillus.
and they are declared not lepers.
How were they cured? Dill the
medical treatment ut the settlement,
or the better sanitary and dietary con-
ditions under which they lived there
effect a cure? Or has nature In spir-
it OF mystery stepped in 20 arrest the
disease?
Leprosy. though the oldest known
disease in the world Is one of the most
mysterious. Its origin, Its cause. its
mode OF transmission are al: I'M
known. Eleven condemned lepers
have been found clean. IL they we're
cured. no one knows how. The physi-
clans at the settlement do not claim
the credit In fact. in five OF the IL
cases no treatm sut was given and the
others have not AL taken the anne
treatment, yet they dre no longer le-
pers.
The result of the denomination OF
the eleven marks new cru n rne
policy OF the Molokai settlement. Ia
the past, boards of health seem 10
have grown callous in the beiief ;ha.
the disease Is incurable. and requests
for denomination received scant at
tention. The eleven were re-exaLlin-
ed only because The legislature adopt
ed a joint resolution asking that they
be.
1t Is doubtful II this esolution could
have been passed Il Pablo sentiment
on the subject had not been aroused
by the agitation of J. Lor Wallach.
Claims Arouseo Hope.
Wallach claimed to be able 10 cure
leprosy. Naturally such claims arous-
ed hope and inquiry among the Hawai-
ians who are the greatest sufferers
from the dread disease. Icy asked
that he be allowed to 60 to he settle
ment and treat some of rhe lepers
with his remedies. His claims were
secuted by the boards Of health. Prom
Uses made to the natives were broken.
and finally Wallach Was railroaded to
prison on a charge of practicing mrdi-
cine without a license. He was re-
leased from prison Oh his promise to
leave Hawaii. lie went. but the ef-
feet of the agitation he lad precipi-
tated remained.
AS a result an entire change OF pol
icy was forced on the BOARD. and
when Senator Frank Harvey offered
the Joint resolution requesting the re-
examination Of certain lepers. Il was
readily acceded 10.
Now, from the least important. eff
forts to cure have come suddenly 20
be the most important elements IN the
policy of segregation.
More than his, any leper or sus-
pected leper In Molokai can secure .
re-examination at least once year.
Deportation 70 Molokai is no long
err looked upon as sentence to living
death.
The leper settlement Is no longer a
living tomb.
The cry OF "unclesn!' has lost its
terrors.
II Is stated that the veins on the