LEPER ISLAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 November 1925, Page 1

LEPER ISLAND.

TREATMENT OF DISEASE,

WELLINGTON, November 10

The eight or ten lepers from New Zealand have been sent to the leper station on the Island of Alokogai, Fiji Group. To this island have also been forwarded leper patients from Samoa and tlie Cook Islands. In addition sufferers from the dread malady have alsn been taken from Fiji, the Gilbert Islands, Tonga, and the New Hebrides. Dr Lambert, of file Rockefeller Institute, an export on tropical diseases, who left for San Francisco to-day, states that there are now some 400 leper patients on the islands. Ihe settlement is well equipped as regards buildings, the medical officers are men of an excellent type and are getting very good results from their treatment of the disease; the nursing service, which is carried out by Catholic sisters and nuns, is splendid ; and the happy atmosphere of the settlement is a notable result of the fine organisation. Derivatives of Chaulmoogra oil are principally used in the treatment, with excellent results, so much so that native sufferers, hearing of the benefit; from other natives, are quite willing tc come for treatment. ’1 he patients seem satisfied, and in most cases (except where the disease is in an advanced state) seem happy. Our fear of leprosy, stated Dr Lambert. lias existed from an early period in history. It is not so contagious or so serious a disease as most people arc aecusf omc'd tu think. At ith propet segregation, and with modern methods of treatment, we ought, in Dr Lambert’s opinion, to get rid of the disease. In some groups of islands in the Pacific, where the proper precautions are not being taken, the disease ifspreading and has become a very seri oils problem.

THE TREATMENT. One authority, commenting on the progress being made toward tlie conquest ol leprosy, states that- Chaulmoogra oil, or, rather, the derivative of tho oil, used in the treatment, is injected in the muscles of the patient. The hypodermic method of giving this new form of drug has now been practised in the cure of leprosy for several years. One quarter of the lepers so treated in Hawaii have been discharged as cured, or, at least, the disease has lieon arrested so that they are apparently free from it. It is estimated that there arc now 12.009 lo]>ers in the Philippine Islands, 0000 of whom arc at Culion. There are about 1000 lepers in tho Hawaiian Islands. In this territory the disease is almost exclusively confined to the native race. In countries like China, India, and in sonic parts of Africa, and South American, leprosy is prevalent. LARGEST LEPER STATION.

Culion Islands in tho Philippines is the world’s largest leper colony. Tho 5000 patients live in several hundred nipa palm houses, each house accommodating from five to seven persons, and there were also several larger concrete houses divided into apartments, with facilities in each for twelve people. The lepers are given every possible liberty and even a considerable amount of self-government. They have their own Police Force, and elect their own Mayor and city officials. They have special money which is not circulated outside of the island. All mail is disinfected when sent out, and is handled by non-leprous clerks. I hose who are able-bodied are employed, and paid wages, though they are also getting free lodging and c-nre from ihc Government. Up to March, 1925, 449 patients were pronounced free from infection, and of this number 19(1 were returned to their homes as entirely cured.