Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-06-25

enormous
This much the experiments show
but the aforementioned points al
once present themselves, and can not
in our present state OF knowledge be
answered by laboratory data:
First Is the skin Cor abrasion OF
it,. the macosa of the digestive tract
or the nasal mueosa capable of being
infected with Ieprosy?
Second. Are the bacilli that have
been discharged from an ulcer and
afterwards passed through a fly's di-
gestive tract alive and capable OF In
fecting man?
Third. Do archaeological and ciini-
cal observations bear out the suppose
ton that flies help to spread leprosy
As to the first of these, we know
that by some means lepra bacilli do
gain entrance to the tissues Of man. 1t
is difficult to conceive how this is
brought about, except that the bacilli
penetrate one or more of the surfaces
mentioned as being frequently contain
mated, directly or indirectly, by the
LEGAL contents OF flies.
Mr.. Chairman, in some other PAM
phlets have read OF an lrishman who
after % years service in the Indian
army, returned home fully developed
leper, dying CT the disease a year and
e half later. During this time his
brother slept in the same room with
him, sharing his bed and wore his
clothes. This intimate intercourse
was the most dangerous POSSIBLE.
Three years after the ex-soldier's
death the brother, who had never
been outside Ireland. DEVELOPED lep-
rosy In that case 1t Is possible the
disease did not manifest itself for
four and half years after it was con-
tracted
You can gather from these examples
how insidious aud dangerous this dr.
sease is, while its being incnrable and
horrible IN action renders it impera-
tive that no effort should be spared,
or opportunity neglected not only to
hold it in check, but to- stamp it out
Mr.. Mann. Did not the gentleman
introduce a bill recently for the pur-I
pose of having leper colony estab-
lished? i
Mr.. Johnson of Washington. Yes; l,
did i introduced two bills, one for a.
leprosarium to be built by the United
States on some island, and the other
one authorizing the Surgeon General
to negotiate with the officials OF Ha-
wall for the care of our lepers on one
of the, islands or at the colony there.
/ have had talks with Surgeon Gen
eral Blue, and he feels SURE that wher-
ever the United States, undertakes to-
go and put such a sanitarium there
will be objection. He. hopes now it,
can be placed in the center of one of
the forest reserves in some OF the
western States. ~
Mr.. Mann. Does the gentleman
think that the people Of his State
would be willing ito have such a colo
ny located in Washington where, I,
take it, it is almost impossible in that
climate to transmit leprosy from one
person to another
Mr.. johnson ef Washington, L feel
very sure that they would mott The
first report OF a leper in the state Of
is that of what appears tol
be, a rather celebrated case, that of
John R. Early, who was given money
here in the District of Columbia and
went to New York, and then bobbed
up later in western Washington. That
was some four years ago. Now, then, |
enc year ago, in the center of the dis
trict that ] have the honor to repre- !
sent, farmer developed leprosy, and,
as l. understand it, he had not been
off his farm for several years.
II Is that sort of development of the
disease that has alarmed our people. !
In another locality in my district the
ease of a Japanese leper has turned
up in the past two weeks, and there
is a great hue and cry between the
State quarantine and the Federal quar-.
antine as to the question Of jurisdic- :
ton. hope that Congress will look !
INTO this leprosy problem. hope that.
m connection with the sad case that
now exists on the outskirts of this
city. it will do something. hope Con-
gress will provide for the care of those
people.
MT. SejuOIHIluSe. MI CHdlI HAL,
will the gentleman yield?
The Chairman. Does the g2ntle'san
rom Washington yield to the gentle
ran from Colorado?
Mr.. johnson of Washington. Yes.
Mr.. Seldofnridge DO the agents of
he Public Health Service have the
light to exercise police power in the
natter of keeping lepers in custody,
Mr.. Johnson of Washington. | I'M
lefstand they have.
Mr.. Seldomridge. do not under
stand that they have such power.
Mr.. Foster. In travelling from one
State to another the States have no
control, but as to people living within
he States the State boards of health
AVE the power 10 take them in Gus
oday
Mr.. SeIdomridge. I understand that
he United States had no power to
prevent the escape of this man Early
from Fishermans Island. I think IT
vas.
Mr.. Johnson of Washington. Fisher
,,ons TsIopd e. In Thoeo1ooko how