The Spread of Leprosy in Sydney

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 67, 24 November 1892, Page 4

The Spread of Leprosy in Sydney

m " * ■'■ Recently a medical practitioner in Sydney reported to the Board of Health under the provisions of the* Leprosy Act, that he had reason to believe tbat a young woman residing at North Shore, was suffering from the effects of leprosy. Upon the young woman being yisited at her residence by the medical officers of the Health Department, it was found that there were two sisters, one of whom was undoubtedly suffering from leprosy. Tbe other was suffering from some disease which tbe medical officers were not then in a position to diagnose. Both women were immediately removed to Little Bay. The elder sister, about whom there was no doubt as to the disease, was immediately placed in the leper lazarette, and the young one was located in one of ihe isolated wards of the Coast Hospital tor special observation, and there she remains at present. An idea seems to be gaining ground that leprosy has been con- - siderably on the increase of late, but the health authorities deny that such is the case. They state that many of the cases that have recently come under nor'ce are all of old standing. In the last case, the one referred to above, the patient has been suffering from the disease for some "three or four years. It is, however, only since the passing of the Leprosy Act, which was assented, to on November 26, 1890, that provision has been made for the compulsory reporting of leprosy cases by medical attendants and others: Since January 1 last 16 cases of suspected leprosy have been reported to the Board of Health. Of these' six persons have ultimately, after a careful investigation, been certified to as suffering from leprosy, three being of European descent and three Chinese. Two of the 16 cases are at present. under investigation by the Board of Health and the remaining x eight have been ascertained to be suffering from, some other diseaseThere are at present detained at the lazarette 24 lepers, consisting of nine persons of European descent, 13 Chinese, one Javanese and one South Sea Islander, As showing that during the present j year there has been no marked in- \ crease in the number ot cases, it may i be mentioned that against the six ] definitely decided instances of leprosy during the 10 months of the year there were admitted last year a total of 10 persons afflicted with this ter* rible and incurable disease.