Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-06
LEPR0SY IS CURED
BY j. S. SURGEONS
Two Patients in Philippines
Recover From Dread
Disease.

An apparent cure for leprosy has been
found by surgeons of the public health
service at the leper colony in the Philip
pfnes-in fact so much of q cure that two
patients who showed distinct signs OF
leprosy when they were admitted to the
institution have been discharged as
cured. However. there seems to be I'M
certainty as to just which Of two treat
ments effected the cure-a vaccine treat
ment or chaulmugra oil taken by mouth
and hypodermically. The patients who
were discharged were given both treat
ments. but there are said now to be in
the hospital a number Of other cases
which have shown negative" for the
past twenty-five months, and these re-
ceived only the cllaulmugra oil treatment.
Surgeon Heiser's Report.
Surgeon Victor G. Heiser of the public
health service, chief quarantine officer
and director of health Of the Philippine
Islands. in reporting on the two cases
which were discharged, says:
Two patients who had been confined to
the San Lazaro Leper Hospital on ac-
count of leprosy have been pronounced
apparently cured and discharged from
that institution on probation.
The first case was that Of a male
admitted to the San Lazaro Leper Hos
pital. Manila, May 70. 1909. On admis-
sion the case clinically showed thickened
reddish spots on the nose and thickening
and discoloration of the lobe of the right
ear. Scrapings made from the LESSONS
showed lepra bacilli. He received vac
cine treatment at intervals, beginning in
August, 1.sO9, but at the expiration Of one
year no change was noted in his condi-
ton. From September. 1910. to NOvem-
Der. 1910. crude chaulmugra oil was given
by mouth in increasing doses On ac-
count of nausea the administration of the
oil by mouth had to be discontinued.
Improvement Shown.
The case showed evidences of i'm
provement. November 10, 1910, chaul-
mugra oil, combined with oil Of cam
phcr and resorcin. was given hypo-
dermically. BY May s, 1911 the LESSONS
above described had disappeared and
peated microscopical examinations. The
hypodermic treatment was continued
and microscopical examinations were
made at frequent intervals, but these
most careful clinical and microscopical
examination was made of the patient,
which resulted negatively for leprosy,
and as the patient had now been ap-
parently cured for period Of over two
years. he was discharged on probation.
1.-The other case was that Of Filipino
WOMAN, aSeQ Twenty-Five, VINO was aQ-
mitted to San Lazaro Leper Hospital,
Manila, January Z, 1910. Clinically this
patient presented suffused countenance,
due to generalized indltration. There
were red maculeS over the cheeks, fore
head and chin. Scrapfngs made from the
LESSONS and examined microscopically
were sT.I positive dy for leprosy bacilii.
placed upon a vaccine treatment for a
period of five months, but at the end
Of the first month after her admission
crude chaulmugra oil by mouth was
given in addition to the vaccine.
Patient Discharged.
after the second month the patient
began to improve rapidly. and on May
6, 1911, leprosy bacilli could not be found
on microscopical examination. During
May, 1911. on account of the nausea
caused by the oil its use by mouth had
to be discontinued. Hypodermic injec-
lions of chaulmugra oil combined with
camphor and resorcin were then begun
This treatment was continued. and fire.
quent microscopical examinations were
made from time to time all of which
resulted negatively. The last examina-
ton, both clinical and microscopical, was
made on June II. 1913. when no further
evidences of leprosy could be found. The
patient was therefore discharged from
the hospital on probation.
1T is not known whether the vaccine
treatment had any influence in the cures.
There are at the present time a number
Of other cases at the San LaZaro Leper
Hospital that have been negative for a
period Of twenty two months, which, upon
admission, presented more marked evil
dences of leprosy than the cases men
toned above, yet they received only
chaulmugra oil either by mouth or hypo-
dermically, or in both ways"