Evening star., 1927-05-29
TO ERADICATE LEPROSY
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

Gratifying responses are being made,
1t Is reported, to the appeal for con-
tributions to the fund that Is being
raised to carry on the fight against
leprosy in the Philippines on a scale
that will speed up the results Of the
remarkable work being done there.
The promise that cure for this dread
disease Is within sight, coupled with
the record that more than a thousand
cures have already been made, seems
to have been Of magic effect in open
ing the pocketbooks Of the American
people.
Those who are active in the move
ment, while expressing satisfaction
with the progress that is being made,
do not, however, want the public to
get the impression that the work is
all over except the final totaling of
needed, and it will be long time be.
fore the books are closed.
The Leprosy Eradication Fund, with
headquarters at / Madison avenue,
New York City, is the organization
that Is carrying on the work. Gen.
Leonard Wood, Governor of the Philip.
pines, is the national chairman Of the
committee and Gen. Samuel McRob-
erts Is treasurer. The executive com.
mittee includes former Ambassador
Robert l.. Bacon, Robert w. De For.
est, Gen. James G. Harbord, former
Secretary Of State Charles z. Hughes,
Arthur Page, Kermit Roosevelt and
former Secretary Of War Henry L.
Stimson.
I'VE have reached the point in the
treatment Of leprosy at Culion," says
cablegram from Gen. Wood, where
we believe we are on the verge Of a
discovery promising the early eradi-
cation of this disease in the Philip
pines. Over 1000 cures have been
effected already. The Philippine gov
ernment is extending liberal aid, but
its funds are insufficient for research
and essential equipment.
Il am asking Americans who have
done SO much for sufferers through
out the world to supplement these
appropriations to the extent Of $2,-
100000. With this sum I expect,
within a few years, startling results
affecting the welfare Of $4,000, 900
lepers throughout the world"
Now the One Black Terror.
Gen. Wood points out that leprosy
Is the one remaining black terror of
the race, and says 1t is now known
search can be adequately prosecuted.
"Will you help to bring to the at
tention of representative Americans
this unprecedented opportunity to do
with this age-old scourge what was
done for yellow fever, malaria and
the like?" he adds.
Henry L. Stimson, who was taking
an active part in the movement until
he was Unexpectedly selected by
President Coolidge to go to Mica
ragua to study the governmental sit
uation there, is able to confirm all
that Gen. Wood reports az to the
great work that is being done among
the lepers Of the Philippines. He be-
came familiar with 1t when he was at
the head of the War Department, and
last Summer he made a visit to the
| islands, during which he learned of
the amazing advance being made in
conquering leprosy within recent
years.
The Philippine government, he says,
is spending one-third of its total
health appropriation for the leper
colony, but with 5000 inmates this is
| barely enough for the meagerest
subsistence. Two million dollars ad-
ditional is needed to be spent in bet
ter housing, laboratories and re-
search.
He refers to Col. Carmi A. Thomp-
| son. who has just returned from the
Philippines as President Coolidge's
representative, for further confirma-
ton. and says that his associates on
| the committee Join with me in the
assurance that, having acquainted
ourselves with the situation referred
to by Gen. Wood, an extraordinary
opportunity is presented for alleviat-
ing human suffering
| Just how many lepers there are In
| the world is largely a matter OF esti
mate because in the regions where
leprosy is most prevalent accurate
statistics are not compiled. And the
estimates vary. Not long ago one
authority placed the figure at 5000,
900, and said that two-thirds or the
unfortunate victims were IN emma
| Gen. Wood now gives 100000 as the
world total.
Curative Work Must BE Extended.
Whatever the number, it is evident
ly sufficiently large that little head
way can be made against the disease
until the curative work Is greatly &C
celebrated and extended. The 1000 cure:
at Culion, the Philippine leper colony
have extended over period or nVe
years, and that rate will not CHECK
the disease appreciably in the islands
In China, with millions of victims OF
the scourge. an almost impossible task
Is presented.
Leprosy is disease which appears
to have prevailed from the earliest
time down to the present. 1t was
recognized in India in 1900 BIC, and
in the Orient and In Palestine and
the countries Immediately east Of u
TF@TW-sSS~s-| -, ~