The Washington times., 1911-11-07
JOHN NEARLY, LEPER,
EXPERTS DECLARE
1 AFTER NEW TEST
Former Soldier Appears
Healthy, But Has Plague
Bacilli in Blodo.
5ohn r.. Early is again-or is still-a

John R. Early. is again-1-or is still--a
leper. a4'+7l.2i 1'' '"t .-.-.
Early who now is in one OF the
States of the Pacific Northwest, exact
l1cation withheld. was examined last
september by surgeons of the pension
board and by Pacific coast specialists.
They found that while he apparently
WIS well and healthy, he undoubtedly
was a leper, and that his blood con-
tained leper bacllli.
This verdict completely vindicates DR..
woodward and the health authorities of
the District of Columbia, who isolated
Early in a camp on the Eastern Branch
halow the old jail .,., ..s....
Specialists and physicians still dis
agree. however, as to whether or not
hNt Is affected by the disease. From his
case 1t would appear that leprosy is not
near the dread disease II has always
been represented to be.
1p' Contented and Happy.
This latest examination was ordered
by Commissioner Davenport, of the
Pension Bureau, upon Early's application
for renewal of pension. His life for
the past five years has been con-
ttuuovs round of medical examinations
with alternating verdicts of ''leprosy,"
and net leprosy."
.Early's wife and young son, are still
with him, So far as can be learned he
iss contented and happy in his new
nSme. and the people not knowing him,
consequently do not fear him as a
leper
Early saw nine years service in
the army, mostly in the Philippines.
He first applied for pension July 81,
1M. He then was an officer or the
application he set forth disability in
the form of catarrhal indigestion and
kidney disease contracted in the army.
He was examined and but slight symp-
toms of the disease found. He was
asked to produce evidence that the dis
ability was contracted during his army
service, but the evidence was not forth
coming.
Isolated While Here.
In mid-August, 1908. Early came to
Washington to press his pension claim
ID 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
ipya tent, but later in a house on the
Eastern branch, where he was closely
quarantined. The Pension Bureau ac-
cFpted the leprosy verdict of the local
surgeons and allowed Early a pension
Of $12 from the time of application to
the time of his quarantine and SIS 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 bad
skin disease, which was durable. The
unfortunate man was taken to New
York. and In August 1909, was liberated
g. cured: A pension examiner hurried
70, New York and found Early appar-
emily sound and we'll He was also
examined by the Pension Board with
the same verdict. and was in conse-
quence dropped from the pension rolls.
No Doubt This Time.
In August Of the present year. Early
again applied for renewal of the pen
sf6n, 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 a board of United
States examining surgeons September &.
and the board stated as it's belief that
he had a mixed form Of leprosy. The
board. not being familiar With the dis
case. called in a doctor who had been
a missionary physician in China. and
took specimens for microscopic test, and
The results were absolutely negative.
The China physician suggested how
eyer. that Early be token before the
CITY bactertologist. and that he be re-
uuested to make sections CT the nodules
on the patients skin. The bacteriol-
oglsts report. lust rec eiyed at the PEN
SION Bureau. is in brief. as follows:
-nsThe Wassermann test was rcsorted
tGs by request of the bureau and the re-
suits were negative. A pathological ex-
animation Of a section OF a nodule by
the usual process found large numbers
d. CLOSELY grouped red rods in so-called
Nper cells"
sThe bacteriologist also stated that no
dHpbt these were leprosy bacilli. and
mat the man Is n leper.
The special examiner. who took Early
before the board, states in his report
thHt Early appears to be well and able
to perform considerable manual labor