Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-13
Segregation of Lepers.

An unfortunate man named 1ettOrl,
suffering from leprosy, made his escape
the other day from the Diamond Point
quarantine station in Washington, where
he had been held in isolation by the pub
lie health service. Up to the present time
he has not been recaptured and cohslu-
cradle alarm is reported on the score Vi
the rpssible evil effect of his freedom IL
is to be hoped that this case Will direct
the attention of Congress to the necessity
of providing a more efficient method OF
caring for those afflicted with ieprosy-
The United States is one of the few large
countries IL the world which do not
properly isolate and care for the victims
of leprosy Whenever in recent years an
effort has been made to obtain an appro-
priation to create a national ieper colony
there has been no disposition to deny or
doubt the need. but no member OF the
House or Senate has been willing 10
agree to the location of such a colony
within his district or state for fear OF
injury to commercial interests. The re-
suit of this state of apprehension is that
no action has been taken.
Leprosy Is a name that frightens peo-
pie. and yet the disease is. not as con-
tagious as tuberculosis. Whenever a
leper is discovered in any community. as
In the case Of Early. who was found here
some years ago. a veTitable state OF
panic arises. wholly out of proportion to
the danger. Each city tries, to shove the
leper or to another and IA scandalous
scramble results that is cruel to the suf-
ferer and wholly out of proportion to the
menace to health
There are now three centers of leprosy
in the United States. one among, the
scandanavians in the region OF the, great
lakes. another among the orientais on
the Paciac coast and third on the gulf
coast. particularly in Louisiana and
Florida. According to last years cen
sua figures these colonies contained 146
people The states in which they are
located are put to q heavy expense to
maintain them not only for a projection
of their own citizens but to safeguard
the scitizens OF other states az well. There
are in addition to these known cases
probably others. some under suspicion and
some unsuspected. With proper facilities
for observation and isolation these other
cases could be handled without risk
and without imposing suffering on the
victims. 1t is the duty of the federal
government to undertake this duty, re-
lieving the states that now maintain
leper colonies Of the expense of their
susten8nce.
This is not merely matter of duty as
to the leper or as to the states that are
now maintaining colonies, but an i'm
perative duty as regards the health of
the entire country. For there is a pos
sibihty Of leprosy obtaining a foothold
and spreading in the United States. The
climate and the race afford no i'm
munity. Leprosy attacks persons of all
races and Is prevalent in all climates
At one time 1t was very prevalent in Eu-
rope and only by careful isolation and
segregation was it eradicated. 1t is time
| the problem received the earnest atten-
ton of the public health and legislative
| officers Of the United States. Officials Of
| the Treasury Department and of the pub
| lie health service have given much
thought and attention to the problem,
| the importance of which has been urged
upon the members Of Congress Their
efforts should result in legislation without
| further delay SO that the United States
can gain control Of the leprosy situation
| and put an end to the deplorable scenes
incident upon the occasional discovery of
lepresy in the states where no colonies
are now maintained.