The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-04-20
GITARD OVER WOMAN LEPER.
Isolated From Humanity Except FOL
Her Husband, Who Waits on Her.

Columbia, April 14.-Confined in
a. house near Mccormick, isolated
from humanity except for her hus-
band, and kept under shotgun guard,
is a negro woman leper. She is kept
in one room of the house and in the
adjoining room is her husband, who
is waiting on her. The county Of
ficials furnish the leper and her hus-
band with supplies, and there she is
in lonely confinement, as completely
isolated as if she were on one of the
islands of the South Sea.
The negro woman was sent from
Abbeville county to the State Hos
pital for the Insane, supposedly be-
cause she was insane. When she
arrived at the State hospital Super
intendent Williams noticed the pc
cularity of the skin disease and
had her isolated for examina-
ton. Several examinations and
tests were made, and finally the hos
pital authorities called in DR.. Lynch.
of the State Medical College staff,
who was doing some research work
at the State hospital, and after a
most careful and painstaking exam
ination and investigation the woman
was pronounced leper. Immediate
ly the officials of the State Hospital
for the Insane notified the board of
health that the negro woman was not
insane, but was suffering from lepro-
sy, and that they could not keep her,
as she was not insane.
Could Not Go on Train.
The question then arose as to
what to do with the negro woman.
suffering. from fully developed case
of leprosy. She could not be trans
ported back to Abbeville on the train,
for there is special rule of the
State board of health forbidding the
transportation on trains Of people
suffering with leprosy. The Able
Vile authorities were consulted, and
finally it was determined to trans
rort the woman back to her home by
automobile. 1t is said that the su-
pervisor of Abbeville arranged for an
automobile, and in this the woman
was carried back through the coun-
try to her home and there confined
in an isolated house, closely guard
ed day and night. 1t is said her
husband lives in the adjoining room
to his wife and waits on her, and
that the guards place supplies fol
them at convenient points, which are
gotten by the husband, who is caring
entirely for the wants of his wife.
It is said that the automobile in
which the negro woman was taken
from here to Abbeville county was
burned along with the clothes worn
by the men Who took her back.
Abbeville county has been guard
ing the woman and furnishing the
supplies, it is said, but now the bur-
den will be transferred to the new
ly formed county of Mccormick, for
it is said that the woman is confined
in a house in that section and with
in the bounds of the new county.
1t was on the first of the present
month that the woman leper was re-
moved from the State hospital to
her home in Mccormick county. The
news of this situation first reached
the ears of this correspondent some
days ago, but it was only today that
the facts were confirmed sufficiently
to Justify publications. DR.. C. Fred
Williams, superintendent of the
State Hospital for the Insane this
morning admitted the fact that the
negro woman had been pronounced
a leper and taken back by automo-
bile to her former home.
1t is said that the people of Abb
beville and Mccormick counties are
much concerned over the fact that
leper is in their section, but every
body has manifested a reluctance to
talking about the case.