Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-05-30
LtPER SURPRISES
HOSPITAL STAFF
Coolly Tells of Having Had the
Dread Ailment for 16
Years.

New York, May 2s.-Eatine an orange
dozen other oranges, a man slouched
into the reception room at Bellevue hos
pltal last night and sat down among
30 other men and women who sought
admittance to the institution.
Or. Lauer saw the man devouring the
orange and called to him:
"You come this way What's the mat
ter with you?"
'LcprosY," replied the man as he con
tinuedWo eat the orange. 81 have been
turned out of all the other hospitals be-
cause | had it. Now have come here"
The man said he was Samuel Wernick
aged ~ years. that he was born in Russia
and came to America 16 years ago
II formerly was a shoemaker" he
told Or. Iauer, hut seven years ago,
when my trouble got bad. ! quit worl;
and since then | have been doing moth
ing"
DISEASE IN ADVANCED STAGE. e.
The mans appearance indicated to
Dr. Lauer that he had lcprosy and Wer-
nick was taken to an isolated ward and
there examined BY Or. Richmond and
They agreed that lie was suffering from
'eprosv in an advanced stage anu decided
to have him sent to the lepers' colony
on North Brother island where there are
five other lepers
Questioned by Drs Laucr and Rich
mona, Nernick said that more than two
years ago he was admitted 10 the Skin
ana cahccr hospital where until seven
mcAths ago he was treated with a
.cprosy scrUm.
he treatment seemed to 90 me good ''
ne said. and seven months ago no.
ieved was cured. Then the disease
came back worse than ever and I was
transferred to Kings county hospital
IEeN wanted me to 20 to tn Lepers'
island and ! refused Then they turmoil
Inc out"
The records at the Skin and Cancer
hospital show that Wernlck. under tho
name of Samuel Bcrnick. was admitted 10
That institution two years ago. Seven
months ago he was transferred to Kings
county hospital 10 be transferred from
there 20 North Brother island, after the
board had taken the Usual action of fore
ing him to 20.
L ' T..
The records at the Kings County hosp-
Ia, show that Wernick. under the n ima
OF Bcrnick, vas admitted there when he
was transferred from the Skin ana Can
ccH hospital The night superintendent of
the Kings county hospital said last night
thp' he was not at liberty To discuss
symptoms, hut that BernicR had been
Kept in "A ward set aside for loathsome
diseases.
The patient, the might superintendent
said, got 2i-hour leave Of absence Sun
day morning and left the Hospital That
was the last seen of him by the at
PENDANTS or authorities of the Kings
County hospital
In Bellevue the man was officially
recorded by DIR Richmond as having
nodular loprosy. DR. Richmond at
tempted to get more from him. but at
times his mind was not clear To Ia,
physician h said
II eat oranges to keep down my dis
ease"
How he got money to buy oranges or
how he had lived for the years after
he quit work ana before he was adj
mitted to the Skin and Cancer hospi-
tai he would h't explain. He said:
II got money FROM the people and slept
in LODGING houses"
This leads the doctors to believe that
Wornick was a street hc.gar. His con.
dltion Is such. that. according t. tho
Bellevue physicians. he will die in
short time.