The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-11-24
Still WRANSuNG OVER
CASE OF ALLEGED lEPtR
John r. Early Seems Healthy
But Has Plague Bacilli in
Blood, Say Experts.

.I WAOffiN1 lONt NV ~ "
Early Is again-or is still-a leper.
Early, who now Is In one OF the
states of the Pacific Northwest exact
location withheld, was examined iast
September by surgeons OF the pension
board and by Pacific coast specialists
They found that, while he apparently
was we'll and healthy, he undoubtedly
was n leper. and that his blood con-
tanned leper bacilli.
This verdict completely vindicates
DIR. woodward and the health authorl-
ties OF the District of Columbia, who
Isolated Early in camp on the east
ern branch below the old Jail.
Specialists and physicians still dis
agree. however, as TO whether or not
he is affected by the disease. From
his case Il would appear that leprosy
is not near the dread disease II has
always been represented TO be
contented and Happy.
This latest examination was ordered
by Commissioner Davenport, OF the
pension bureau, upon Early's appllca'
ton for a renewal of pension Ills
life for the past five years has been
a continuous round OF medical exam
nations. with alternating yerdicts OF
"leprosy" and mot leprcsy'
Earlys wife and young son are
still with him. So far as can be
learned. he is contented and happy in
his new home, and the people, not
knowing him, consequently DO not
fear him as leper.
Early saw nine years OF service IN
the army, mostly in the philippines.
He first applied for pension July 81.
1907. He then was an officer In the
Salvation Army in New York. In this
application ne set forth disability In
the form OF catarrhal indigestion and
kidney disease contracted In the
army. He was examined and but
slight symptoms of the disease fo1ad.
He was asked 10 produce evidence
that the disability was contracted dur
ing his army service, but the evidence
was not forthcoming.
In mid-August, 1908, Early came TO
washington to press his pension claim
in person before the pension bureau.
Immediately thereafter he was taken
up by the local health officers and
isolated as a leper He was first put
I'm a tent, but later in house on the
Eastern branch, where he was closely
ouarantined. The pension bureau ac-
cepted the leprosy verdict OF the local
surgeons and allowed Early pension
of S12 from the time OF application
TO the time of his quarantine and sto
a month after that date.
A few months later a New York
specialist examined Early and said
that he did not have leprosy, but only
.l,t w
able. The unfortunate man was taken
to New York, and in August, 1909, was
liberated as cured. A pension exam.
iner hurried to New York and found
Early apparently sound and well. He
was also examined by the pension
board with the same verdict, and was
IN consequence dropped from the pen
sion rolls.
No Doubt This Time.
In August OF the present year. Early
again applied for renewal Of the pen
sion, alleging malarial complications,
and what was diagnosed as leprosy,
and that he had been sick most OF the
time since he came out of the service.
He was sent before board OF United
States examining surgeons Sept 8.
and the board stated as its belief that
he had q mixed form of leprosy.
The board, not being familiar with
the disease, called in a doctor who
mad been a missionary physician in
China, and had knowledge and expert
ence. He took specimens for micro
scopic test, and the results were alb
solutely negative. The China physi-
clan suggested, however, that Early
be taken before the city bacteriolo-
gist, and that he be requested to
make sections of the nodules on the
patients skin. The bacteriologists
report, just received at the pension
bureau, is, In brief, as follows:
THE Wasserman test was resorted
10 by request OF the bureau and the
results were negative. A pathological
examination OF section of a nodule
by the usual process found large num-
hers of closely grouped red rods in
so-called leper cells
The bacteriologist also stated that
no doubt these were leprosy bacilli,
and that the man is leper.
The special examiner who took
Early before the board, states in his
report that Early appears TO be well
and able to perform considerable
manual labor.