The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-02
{ 7HEN I went to the leper coll

4 y
NA/ ony at Penikese my thoughts
were centred on the human
wrecks was to visit. l
came away with another picture in my
mind. 1t was f II little rudy fac'd
doctor, with gray hair and close
cropped white mustache, standing
bare headed on the wharf. his white
Jacket whipping In the breeze. ana be-
aide him a round checked white haired
woman waving Va farewell. Ana
again. Of japanese wrapped in "a
big brown coat, a white sash nbouu
his waist. standing in the doorway of
a cottage. and on his shoulder n green
and yellow parrot cackling hilariously,
while his master in shrill rasping tones
laughed in return.
II was the heroism OF Penikese that
Impressed me most. They are brave
people, that doctor and his wife. the
women nurses and the eleven men
and women they call the patients.
saw human suffering beyond anything
I had imagined. but more impressive
than ali this was the way the pn-
dents bore themselves. They came
from the lowest walks Of life they
were i,l.terates. some OF them. and
yet they carried themselves unfiinch-
ingly.
watched the doctor and his wife
move about among the patients and
I understood the answer OF Solomon
the lepcr TO his rabbi:
ct believe in God, but believe in
Or. Parker more"
don't believe Or. Parker hae So
cially ostracised himself. ] don't be-
ileve he will contract the disease. but
Iknow he is fighting in the dark. COM
batting a disease without cure. a
terrible affiiction hat comes in way
science doesn't understand ana that
always kills. Dr. Parker need not be-
como a second Father Damien to earn
q name for himself. He Is doing n
great work. I wish more people could
see the bravery OF Penikese.
When ten years ago Massachusetts,
found herself with Ave lepers on her
hands isolated Penikese was the only
bit Of land in the Commonwealth
where her citizens would give the VIC
tins refuge. The State had bought a
small farm among the Cape Cod sand
dunes for a leprosarium and public
uproar forced her 10 sell. Property
owners on all sides Of Buzzards Bay
fought the establ shment Of the col
ony at Penikese and yet the island
is well of by itself Such Ia the
dread Of the leper.
Penikese lies fourteen miles out IN
Buzzar6s Bay II is Off the beaten
steamer track and the pleasure boats
that sail these waters in summer give
II wide berth. Twice a week a
power boat from New Bedford carries
down the mail. There are no other
visitors. The few venturesome spirits
who seek to visit the island meet
with a cold reception from the State
Beard Of Cia,.t,es. Nine yenrs ago
q newspaper man visited the COL
ony. Since then the outside world has
had no glimpse OF Penikese.
There were ave OF us in the party
that picked It's way through the coal
pockets on the New Bedford wharf
and embarked for Penikese on Good
Friday morning. We sat on the
hatchway and watched the New Bed
ford waterfront with its towering mill
chimneys drop behind. Then we
turned seward and saw Pen!kese take
shape before us. 1t was II o'clock
OF this bright clear morning when We
swung round the elbow Of the island
and chugged in toward the wharf.
"They ass fSWihg down TO meet us"
some one Aid and we saw two black
figures walking down the pier.