The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1922-03-24
Cooperation on
Leprosy Sought
In Philippines

MANILA, p. l., March 21-(Asso-
ciated Press)-After inspecting the
leper colony on Culion island Cover
n"or-General Leonard Wood telegraph
ed an urgent appeal to the people of
the Philippines to assist the lepers
by donating clothing and reading mat
ter. Governor Wood also instructed
the health department to speed up
preparations for improving the con
ditions of life among the lepers.
As a result of the governors in
structions, extra physicians, nurses
and supplies will be rushed to Gu
lion by a special steamer on Thurs
day. The United States army has
lent tents to the Philippine govern
ment to shelter the extra doctors
n nurses, as houses are not avail.
able at Culion.
Only 1900 of the 5000 lepers in the
settlement are receiving treatment,
but General Wood says provision
must be made for treatment for all.
The colony contains 500 children
under IL years of age.
MANILA, p. l., Feb. @(Associated
Press MaiD-Asking for the coopera-
ton of all the people of the Philippine
Islands in the task of extending help
to the 5000 lepeTs on the Island of
Culion, Governor General, Leonard
Wood, today made public the report
of DR.. II. w. Wade, head of the leper
colony, on conditions there. Com
menting on the report Governor Gen
eral Wood said:
From the immemorial the leper has
been looked upon with peculiar
sympathy because of the general be-
lief that cure was impossible. We
have more than 5000 of these I'm
fortunates at Culion. They are liter
ally holding out their hands to us for
help. They know that modern science
now offers a chance of cure in a large
percentage of cases. We must save
the little children who are born free
of leprosy. We must give them a
chance to live and grow up strong
and well. We must establish condi-
tions to combat the frightful ravages
of tuberculosis among the lepers. We
must give those who through treat
ment have become negative a chance
to live free from the dangers of fur
Their infection. In a word, we must do
all that is humanity possible for these
u~nfortunates. We must do for them
what we would have done for us if we
were in their position, and to this end
l bespeak the cooperation of the Phil
ippine people in this great work for
humanity"
Not Place of Horror
DR.. Wade in his report on condi-
lions at Culion says Though Culion
is not at all the place of horrors that
so many are apt to picture it, there
are many things that should be done
there for the well-being of the in
mates, to give whatever chance of re-
covery the new treatments may offer
them. For it must be realized that
even though every patient on the is
land be given his treatment in the
most conscientious manner by com
petent physicians and nurses, they
will not have their full chance IN
less they are given a suitable and
abundant diet, proper clothing and are
housed so as to avoid the crowding
that makes for the easy dissemina-
ton of other diseases, particularly
tuberculosis, which kills most of those
who die at Culion. Furthermore the
young leper is not given his full op-
p~ortunity unless conditions are such
that, should he be cured and released
he would find himself trained in some
useful occupation, and so an asset
and not a burden to the community.
Finally, the infants of lepers are en-
titled to a chance for a normal life,
which can be given them by taking
them away from their mothers at
once and caring for them in an in.
fant's home properly equipped to
carry them through the %precarious
first two years.
Food Problem Difficult
1.-THE food problem of providing a
more adequate and better balanced
diet will, it is hoped, be solved al
least in part through the inyestiga
ton now being conducted at Culior
by Miss Hartley Embrey, food chem
list of the Rockefeller Foundation. Al
present the cost of food for eacf
leper is estimated at fourteen cents &
day. Not including the extra cost o.
special diets, this figures vi more
than $250,000 a year. If the diet o.
the hospital patients were improved
as it should be, and that of the ordin
airy lepers increased somewhat, 81
that the average expenditure would
be 16h cents a day, the increased
cost would be more than $45, 900 /;
year. There is immediate need of
separate colony for those who hav'
become negative under treatment
They must be separated from tn
main colony as to prohibit %intercours,
with active cases, TO prevent rein
lection. AT least $4,000 is needed t
prepare such a place.
Hopeful of Future
I THE medical situation at Culion is
4 in some respects, very unsatisfactory
Z in retrospect, but very hopeful for tn
future. Heretofore there has been n
i really efficient method of treatin
4 leprosy and the chance of ure tina
i any particular individual had wa
4 slight, since cure was effected in onl
4 now and hen a case of the many tai
4 ing the treatment as it was given.
THE present outlook is very differ
4 ent. Within a very few years method
8 have been discovered whereby a COZ