The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-09-03

a cure for leprosy? 1t is too soon to
say, since there is no test on which
a positive utterance in the affirmative
can be given. But this much has been
shown conclusively:
Chaulmoogra oil contains one or
more agents which exert a marked
therapeutic action in many cases of
leprosy. There have been many ap-
parent cures. Are they real aud per-
manent? That remains to the seen.
But 1t is evident that modern medi
cine now has an agent at its dis
posal which gives promise for the
control Of the dreaded disease.
Professor Rock, formerly of the Uni
'versity of Hawaii, made the trip to
the Siamese jungles for the United
States Department of Agriculture. 1t
Is purposed to provide permanent
supply of the oil for the treatment of
leprOsy. Professor Rocks seeds and
young trees have been distributed
among various experiment stations,
notably In Florida, Maryland and Cal
ifornia.
Professor Rock says that with one
exception he Is, so far as is known.
the first white man to penetrate the
region of Siam where he obtained the
specimens. OF the other white man
nothing seems to be known except
that he Is an amateur botanist named
Tho
the jungles where grow the taraktog-
enos trees once every three years 10
secure the seeds for chaulmoogra oil.
1t Is wild country, full of dangerous
animals. The natives have known of
the beneficial properties of the oil In
leprosy for hundreds of years. but
handle the bill In such a crude way
that they do not get its full effect.
"Unclean" is the pitiful cry of the
leper that has been heard in all parts
OF the world since biblical times. The
dread disease gets its name from the
Greek word "lepros," which means
scaly.' 1t is caused by the bacillus
Leprae. 1t has always been believed
contagious and until recent years In
durable. Ii has been considered q
particularly dread disease because of
the terrible disfgurements 1t causes.
Probably the origin and home Of
ieprosy Is the Far East, but at one
ume 1t was widespread in Europe.
II is still found in quantity in France,
Russia, Norway, Turkey and Portugal.
IL Is estimated that there are I.5OO |
iepers In the United States. most of |
whom are undetected and therefore
unsegregated. 1t is only the other
Gay that the wife of a well-known
oiiicer Of the United States army was
found to be suffering from a mild
form Of leprosy and was sent for
treatment to the government lepro-
sorium In Louisiana. Recently the
British government requisitioned the
united States for chaulmoogra oil for
me treatment Of several hundred sui.
ierers on the Island of Trinidad.
PORTUGAL probably possesses the
Greatest number Of lepers of anv En-
sean country. Foreigners are
OeAeo oy the sight Of disfigured lep-
OF both sexes begging in the
and selling toys and sweets.
~ Portugal seldom gets excited over
1 ,epers About once a generation
eoooy insists that something ought
" oe done for them-or with them
leprosy can be cured or con.
o''eo the result Is due to work done
~ .ne United States public ,health
This work has been going
an ~, tne last fifteen years, princi.
Tsi'y IN the Kalihi hospital, Hawaii
., Aa'aupapa leper colony is situ.
-'eu on promontory of the island OF