The Washington herald., 1911-03-01
NAVAL OFFICER
MAY Be A LEPER
Continued from Page One.


this instance, as the Filipino is only
twenty-four-probab sixty years, al
loting to him three score and ten.
Il don't want the public to think that
this health office is keen about keeping
this Ieper within its jurisdiction Or. W.
G. Woodward said yesterday. Nothing
would give US greater pleasure, would re-
lieve US OF much anxiety, than to have
the louisiana leper colony ask for this
man. IT is misfortune to the whole
community that he was discovered in
our confines, but now that we have got
him and are protecting him and protect
ing the community from him. there Is
nothing else to do but to let him re-
main in solitary confinement down in the
building dedicated for that particular pur-
pose.
For more than seven years. or there
abouts, this Filipino was a servant in the
family Of a well-knOwn naval officer
whose name l will not mention. and
whose name will not be known through
this department-until he was discovered
to be suffering with leprosy. In accord
ance with my duty the man was appre-
hended and sent TO solitary confinement"
The doctor admitted that the family
with whom the leper was associated was
under surveillance by his department, but
whether they were a menace to their
fellows he would not say. He made II
plain that in consideration Of the fact
that the Filipino has been proved to
be suffering from leprosy beyond the
shadow OF n doubt. that in the course Of
his association with the naval officer
family some members of it might have
world-old disease.
Refuse to Give Details.
Inquiry at the Army and Navy Club,
at the Marine Barracks and at all other
places at which navy men make their
headquarters. details were lacking last
night as to the navy officers identity.
When the subject was mentioned knowing
looks exchanged between men of promi-
nence in the naval world were the only
answers. 1t was plain that many of them
knew and that a few had associated with
the master of the Filipino.
With a professional reticence of naval
men. alike to that of medical men,
they refused to speak the words that
would tell the public the naval officer
whose family has been subjected to lep-
rosy through the association of an afflCt
ed servant.
In the little two-story house in the
Eastern Branch, shaded by day, fog en-
veloped by night, sleeps the brown-skin-
ned native of the Philippines. All day
long his course of -exploration-he, who
in his youth was confined only by the
seas surrounding his native country-iS
compelled TO walk in one room in the
small yard and back again to the small
room. Every hour he is guarded by men !
whose duty it is TO see that he keeps !
within the limits allowed him by the gov
ernment He accepts his confinement !
He knows that up in the big city two |
Dr three men have told him that he is |
an outcast He followed them in his be !
logged imagination and limited intelli- !
sence, not caring or knowing where he |
vas bound-but, as a dumb animal, he |
followed He speaks little English, but |
his dark countenance lights up when |
some one from the forbidden world /
speaks to him and offers him words of |
His Story Translated.
Freely translated, his statements go |
something like this: 'T do not know |
Manila He nice man. We get on big |
,hip; come over to this country. 1 stay
lere long time, and love my boss-and
owe little girls and my boss wife. I
do every time what 1 think /
S right. Boss always good to me-never
ay anything to hurt my feelings
'One time after 1 feel bad one month,
wo months. boss say, Gomez, you feel
;ick.' 1 say, L hurt all over Next day
lice looking American doctor, carrying
;atchel. comes to me and hits me all
'ver and looks at my tongue. Then he
avs something to boss, and next day l |