The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-07-23
THE PLIGHT OF KoKAs, THE GREEK,

The case of John Kokas, so-ealled Ieper, has
needessIy alarmed people. We doubt very
much if there be in the nited States today three
persons afflicted with real or oriental leprosy.
There is disease of the skin called Bohak. which
is neither infectious dangerous, but is to one
unfamiliar with leprosy, elephantiasis and kim
dTed disorders, true leprosy. In all probability,
the Greek John Kokas, is afflicted with "bohak or
some unfamiliar skin disease.
We have not seen Kokas and of course can
only deal IN conjecture when writing of his case
but we feel assured he has not true leprosy which
means Infection and isolation. Moreover, re-
cent or contracted leprosy may be cured, but lep
rosy of long standing is inyeterate and incurable
True eprosy affects the skim manifesting itself in
scfrf, scabs suppurating sores, violent itchings,
till the blood itself becomes corrupted the skin
peeis away from the tainted flesh and the fingers
fall away at the joints. But we have seen cases
where the disease produced gross defornity and
went no further. The Jews regarded Ieprosy as
disease sent from God, and Moses prescribed no
natural remedy for the cure of it. He insisted
that the diseased person should show himself to
the priest, and that the priest should Judge of his
disease. IF it appeared to be real leprosy the
isolated him, now say.
The Biblical or Mosaic marks of Ieprosy were
patent and self-evident An outward swelling, a
pin1pfe, white spot, bright and somewhat reddish
subjected a to suspicion; but when bright
red or white splash appeared on the skin and the
spotted skin sank into the flesh and the hair of
the skin became pale red then, it was room for
the leper."
One of the most repulsiYe cases of leprosy we
have anywhere seen was that of a muIatte. Vieux-
fort BarraHd, In the Dominican Sisters leper hos
pItal near Port of Spain, Trinidad, West Indies.
Barrand's feet were swollen shockingly, his voice
was hoarse, like that of dog after long barking,
and came through the nose rather than from the
mouth. His face was like coal half extinguished
shining, unctuous, bloated and full of very hard
pimples. The eyes red and infamed and pro-
jeeted out of their sockets but could not be moved
either to the right or to the left; the ears had
grown large with the deeping of the disease; they
were bright red, corroded with ulcers and encom-
passed with small kernels; the nose had fallen in,
for the cartilages had decayed the tongue was dry
black swollen, liberated, divided in ridges and GOV
cred with little white plmples. The leprosy, I'M
mistakably exhibited itself on the surface of the
SIKH, WnlIe at the same time 1t doubt infected
the marrow and the bones. The joints ON the
hands and feet had lost their control the muscles
had withered sunk in, the entire body has a |
dreadful appearance, and appeared as if it had |
been mutilated. Barrand looked, so far as one |
might judge, to be an old man, but Dr. Tapon the |
house surgeon assured us he was only forty-seven
"Leprosy," said this expert in answer to our
question Originates within the body and first raw
ages internally before it makes its appearance ON |
the surface. I am satisfied that in the case of |
Vieux-fort BaFrand, the disease was concealed for
years in his system, before it manifested the fear
full indications on the skin which boasted of we'll
rooted and permanent existence"
There are four kinds of real Ieprosy The first |
Is of so violent and powerful nature that it sep
arates the joints and the limbs and nutilates the
body in a most awful manner The second is the
white leprosy." The third is the 'black Ieprosy,1
or 'Psora, mentioned in Chapter 81, Deuteronomy,
and IN Chapter 81 Levitius. The fourth is the
'Alopecia," or "red leprosy" Then Moses mentions
the Ieprosies of men, of houses, of clothes