The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-04-27
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ORIGIN OF LEPROSY
Discovery of Bacillus by Tulane :
Physicians Arouses Hope of an :
Early Cure for Dread Malady. ;
New York Snnl

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New York SUM
The discovery, isolation and culture
Of the bacillus Of leprosy just an
nounced by Drs. c. v. Duval and
Maurice Couret, of the pathological
department Of Tulane university of
New Orleans, and the experiments
made with bacilli, shed great deal
Of new light on the origin, spread,
and contagion of leprosy, and promise
as an early result serum that will
give protection against the disease.
In the worldwide investigation
which has been carried on for years
into the nature of leprosy physicians
in Louisiana have had an important
part They have had good opportun-
sites for research, because the state
maintains leper hospital at Indian
Camp in Iberville Point. Nowhere
else has greater progress been made
in the determination and cure of
leprosy. I
The disease was very prevalent in:
Louisiana iii Spanish and French
days. Then nothing was done but TO-
chase the lepers into the swamps-.
la terre des lepreaux, as it was call
ed. Even after the civil war very
large colony of lepers was collected
on the leyees or swampy portions of
Bayou I..afourche and in several sec
lions of the Acadian country in south
ern Louisiana.
Twenty years ago the leper hospital
was established and law passed
segregating the lepers and compell-
ing them to go to the leper home.
Much difficulty was encountered at
first in enforcing the law through
mistaken sympathy with the lepers,
but the home was made so comfort
able that the prejudice against It has
passed away, and it has latterly re-
ceived all persons found to be affect
: ed with the disease. In this way
ieprosy has gradually been eliminat-
ed in Louisiana and new cases are
rare, numbering not more than two
a year.
Some forty 1epers are now gather
ed at Indian Camp and all except a
few are steadily improving in health.
Three years ago DR.. Irodone Dyar,
the physician of the home and one
of the best authorities on leprosy in
the world, announced that four Of
the inmates had been cured. Alto
Eether eight have been dismissed as
cured.
The treatment has been simple
enough, consisting of good living
conditions. good food, frequent hot
baths, and a few of the medicines
recognized as beneficial to lepers. At
the present rate of, progress another
decade will probably see the end Of
1A~~osxy {,, IA,Yc3ono fhrn,,oh tho o,,ro
of the milder cases and the death of
the few patients in whom the disease
has progressed too far to receive ef-
fective treatment.
While this work of treating and
curing leprosy. was being carried on
the physicians have been investigat-
ing the disease itself to learn Its
cause, to discover its bacillus, and
to find a serum that will cure or pre-
vent it. This investigation has been
conducted in dozen different parts
of the world. but under most favor
able. conditions in Louisiana. where
alone in this country the disease can
be studied at first hand.
From time to time discoveries have
been made. AS matter Of fact there
has been very strong disposition to
accept the CONCLUSION OIL DE. JOuotHdu
Hutchinson Of England. presented by
him to the International Leprologist
convention of 1890. held at Berlin.
that uncooked or putrid fish was the
means by which leprosy was trans
mitted to man. This fact was ap-
parently demonstrated by all the con-
ditions under which the disease pre-
walls, leprosy being restricted to peo-
pies living on the coast whose prin-
cipal diet is fish. especially raw or
moe or less putrid.
But while this theory was general
ly accepted, it was not scientifically
proved. This Drs. Duval and Couret
have finally demonstrated, and the
proof will call for some experimental
ton only to provide the serum.
The germ Of leprosy Is said to have
been discovered as far back as the
seventies, and it's discovery has been
announced from time to time since,
hut the experiments were never car
ried to conclusion. 1t was found