Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-06
[EPROSY 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
pines--in fact, so much of 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 chaulmugra 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
Filipino. aged tWenty-seven. who was
admitted to the San Isazaro Leper Hos
pital, Manila. MAY 20 1900. On admis
sion the case clinically showed thckened
and discoloration Of the lobe of the right
ear Scrapings made from the LESSONS
showed lepra bacili. He received vac
cine treatment at intervals beginning in
August, 1a09. 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 TO- 1910, chaul-
mugra oil. combined with oil of cam
phor and resorcin was given hypo-
dermically By May s, 1911. the LESSONS
above described had disappeared and
leprosy bacilli were not found in re-
peated microscopical examinations. The
hypodermic treatment was continued
and microscopical examinations were
made at frequent intervals. but these
were always negative. June H. 1913.
most careful clinical and microscopical
examination was made of the patient,
which resulted negatively for leprosy,
and as the patient had now been APP
parent1y cured for period of over two
THE other case was that of Filipino
woman, aged twenty-five, who was ad-
mitted to San Lazaro Leper Hospital,
Manila, January Z, 1910. Ciinically this
due to generalized infltration. There
were red macules over the cheeks. fore
head and chin. Scrapings made from the
LESSONS and examined microscopically
were positive for leprosy bacilli.
Upon admission this patient was
placed upon a vaccine treatment for a
period of five months. but at the end
of the first month after her admission
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-
tons Of chaulmugra Oil combined with
camphor and resorcin We're then begun.
This treatment was continued, and fire.
ouent 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
the hospital on probation.
1T is not known whether the vaccine
treatment had any influence in the cures,
There are at the present time number
Of other cases at the San Lazaro Leper
Hospital that have been negative for
period OF twenty-five 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"