Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-21
Segregation the Only Solution to L@prosy Problem

leprosy is mentioned. This, too, in dis
regard of the fact that it would mean
the spending of thousands of dollars
yearly within it's borders for supplies and
the other needs of such settlement.
Ihat segregation is the great solution
for the leprosy problem has been shown
most clearly in Norway. where some
thirty years ago this idea was first
taken up. The result has been that lep-
rosy has been practically eliminated.
Where the cases were numbered by hun
dredS when segregation was started, they
are now numbered by tens, and the new
cases which are brought to the attention
of the authorities are insignificant in
number. the officials predicting that with
in a few years the disease will have been
totally eradicated from the nation.
On the other hand, i'll Japan. ieper
is hardly considered menace and until
the last few years was as free to roam
around the streets and engage in bust
ness of any kind as any one else. In
fact, many Americans on finding that
they We're lepTosy victims fastened to
Japan to take up some line of business,
from which they would have been to-
tally barred in their own country In
the Philippines, until the American oc-
cupation, similar conditions existed. and
at the present time only small per cent
of the lepers Of our new possessions are
under treatment and in isolation. Com
ing as close home as Cuba, it is only
fifteen years since segregation was
started. and when the Spanish-American
war commenced lepers could be seen on
the streets of Havana. begging, driving
carriages and in other familiar occur;;-
tons.
According to the officials of the United
States public health service, there are
approximately ITO known 1epers in the
United States proper, Hawaii, the Philip
pines, Alaska and Porto Rico being ex-
cluded from this count. The larger part
of this number are to be found in the
general vicinity of Louisiana, though
victims may be found in practically
every seacoast state, and the total num-
Der would probably be largely increased
if the disease were better known, as
many cases are diagnosed by doctors
unfamiliar with, leprosy as being some
peculiar and unusual skin trouble.
Diamond Point in the state of Wash
ington. where John Early spent the last
two years, is not to be considered in any
way federal segregation station for
leprosy. AS a matter of fact, it Is simply
one of the regular United States quaran-
tine stations, but was selected for the
two or three lepers under federal control
through the fact that when they were
found to be lepers they were residents OF
federal territory, and Diamond Point was
the most isolated place which could De
utilized. f-,
Practically all the federal work be-
ing done in the hope of finding cure
for leprosy is in Hawaii, where the ter
ritorial authorities are working in close
doctors, both in the settlement on the
Island Of Molokai and in the detention
While the treatment of lepers in Ha-
wall is purely a matter of territorial
concern. and the Molokai patients are
supported through funds appropriated
by the legislature of Hawaii, a number
of incipient cases are placed in the
hands of the federal doctors for treat
ment, and considerable, success in re-
tarding the disease. alleviating the
suffering of it's victims, with possible
cures, has been achieved.
The visitor to the Molokai leper' settle
ment is bound to be surprised at the
general contentment of the people con-
fined there. Many nationalities are to
be found in the 500 Inhabitants.
Though native Hawaiians predominant,
Americans and EngAb6 arr there,