Evening star., 1925-05-27
WOOD ASKS j. s.
AID ISLAND DLEPERS
Fund Of 100000 Sought
to Carry on Philippine Re-
habiIitation Work.

The American people have been
asked by Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood,
governor general of the Philippines,
to contribute a million dollars to
carry on the work of rehabilitating
the lepers In the islands. An appeal
was made to Gen. Wood by the mem
6ers OF the Culion leper colony. which
Is the largest in the world, for aid.
The members of the colony in their
appeal to the governor general de-
clared 1t is through his efforts that
their hope in life Is renewed.
Gen. Woods appeal to the Ameri-
can people is as follows:
Throughout the world today there
Is deep and widespread interest In
the treatment and care of leprosy.
england has, organized the British
Empire Anti-Leprosy Society and is
making arrangements for an effective
IN India and elsewhere.
1900 Lepers in Islands.
IN the Philippines we have about
1900 lepers. $500 of whom are seq
regated and under treatment on
Cuilon 1sland-the worlds greatest
Ieper colony. The care and treat
ment of leprosy has been carried on
mere steadily for the last 20 years
ana In intensive form during the last
,nree years. Well known experts on
leprosy have visited Culion and are
outspoken In their praise of the work
5elng done. Our efforts have been
limited only by the means available.
me results are most encourag-
ing. we have already 449 negatives
ana several hundred more in sight; rs
per cent or the cases under treatment
are improved and 196 have been re-
turned to their homes as cured. The
people who formerly looked upon
Cuilon with fear and dread are COM
menclng to look upon it as a place
not or segregation and imprisonment,
but as place of care. treatment and
possible cure.
Il believe we are on the verge of
great results in the treatment and
care OF leprosy, but we need help. We
are working not only for the lepers
here but for the lepers all over the
world, and our success will be theirs
as well. The insular appropriations for
the colony are about one-third of the
entire public health appropriation.
Nevertheless we need more money,
and the insular government cannot
give more. This money will be used
for additional buildings, for roads TO
agricultural lands and for the es-
tablishment Of small agricultural and
segregation groups, and especially for
trained personnel, laboratory equip
ment, additional wards, equipment and
skilled personnel for research work
and treatment.
$1,000,000 Is Asked.
Il want to raise a million dollars
for these purposes. Money cannot
be better spent. Not only will 1t be
for the immediate benefit Of the lepers
themselves, but 1t will be for the
general study and treatment of the
disease, which, I believe, can be erad-
icated from these islands. In other
words. we shall render a great serv-
ice to stricken humanity throughout
large portions of the world and
demonstrate that this dread disease
can be controlled.
I'VE were successful In our efforts
to eradicate yellow fever and to con-
troll malaria in Cuba. The methods
there employed have made the tropics
as safe as the temperate zone. We
have rendered the Philippine Islands
safe against cholera, smallpox and
plague by scientific methods of CON
troll.
I'VE are now carrying on this great
campaign for the control and eradi-
cation of leprosy. We need your
help. The American people have ever
been generous in supporting move
ments Of this kind and 1 again appeal
to their generosity and spirit of
service in behalf of these stricken
people, who are the most unfortunate
and afflicted of Gods creatures.
contributions may be made pay
able to the chief of the Bureau of
Insular Affairs, War Department.
WASHINGTON D. c. They will be
transmitted to the Philippine Islands
and spent under the direction of the
governor general"