The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-04-22

San Francisco, Cal, April 21,--The
lcper. WHOSE, cry or "unclean" has sent
shudder through the ages, is not
necessarily doomed.
The disease in its early stages is cur
able,
It is but slightly contagious.
Simple precautions prevent spread
Of the faint.
And segregation. together with med
ical and hyEienic care, is today ront-
ing mans most loathsome and ancient
scourge.
This is the striking ana heartening
announcement made here by William
M. Danner American secretary of the
Mission to Lepcrs. as a result Of his
recent exhaustive survey of leper coll
onies in the Philippines, Hawaii China,
japan and Korea.
Speaking as recognized authority
on the disease. he says the sum total
Of remarkable accomplishment in these
big Oriental segregation posts justifies
tho surprising announcement that lep-
rosy can be checked and probably
stamped out.
This is of vital concern to every
United States between 1000 and 5000
lepers. scattered throughout 10 states,
with the number constantly increasing.
"Leprosy." calculated Danner, who
has spent years in service amnog the
worlds Stunned outcasts. is a com
municable PRE,VENTABLE disease.
"The flat assertion that it is durable
Is not Yet justified by the facts as
have collated them, though there have
been some amazing recoverieS.
"But the facts do warrant the an
nouncement that it can be checked
and greatly reduced in both malignity
and extent.
"Of SIS lepers discharged as cured by
tho big government colony at Culion
in the Philippines. only two have de-
veloped recurrent symptoms.
"The population of CuliOn in 10 years
has been reduced from 5000 to 4,aoo
despite constant influx of new cases. II
the Hawaiian colony the decrease has
been from 1900 to 625.
Segregation of these afflicted people
is the answer-an answer which should
be needed by the United States ana
every country in which lcperS are al
large as foci of Infection
The leper population of the world j.
today estimated at between two ano
three million-one out OF every 800 /,
700 persons. In the United states less
than 200 are isolated in the state lep-
rosa RUINS of Louisiana and Massachu-
sets. The rest are in hiding, CON
slant menace
From the time of mans early trlha
iLt lit,I aa-AA
spread with alarming and mysteri"u.
rapidly, this living death has been this
most dreaded human afflctiun. In the
fifteenth century, just as mysterlousi>
4 it receded from the greater part Of Eu
rope and is now most prevalent II
Asia, Africa. Central and South Amer.
ia and the Pacific islands,
The bacillus causing the dtsea@'
gradually di8intcgrates the normal It's
sues, bringing horrd dcformttics an,
Intermittent suffering. with death "ftrr
delayed for years E,I>l uUl shuunR
and resigned Ia his fate, tn" topper h".
hitherto been regarded is hnp"lr~SI\
doomed.
But" rvas=urrs Mr. Inumr "rn
tional. humane trcHln,}f a1ntudHn
food fresh air cleanliness. 2,.'t r@ll"M
ship and segregation aI~ hru."1.@ H'o"'
astounding results
To cast him "U ~ ":~' "ha5 'H'
rest Of US should r"l u" L ~ "'.aH
be protected from TIN lrIrr He myH-
be confined where ne IS r,l Cd. rnt'n'.
and where his ~uffrrrr-s cas- nD ,un,'
ioratcd.
ChauIm0o4ru u.L n -"taj.." It.''
met Corn,.S n,lr,,-1 ,fir.. ,.r.t. = q