LEPERS IN INDIA

Hokitika Guardian, 26 April 1933, Page 8

LEPERS IN INDIA

WORK IN COCHIN STATE

SALVATION ARMY ACTIVITIES

The problems of caring for the .lepers of India, and the methods employed i’ l special .hospitals rnajrt ined lor ««l~ ferers from this di-ease, ri\, outl n:d in a letter received from a New Zealander, M r V. J. Thomßon, who is superlinteudont of the 0> r h'li fL'.ate Leper Asylum, Adoor, Tndia, iwhich !S controlled bv the Salvation Army medi-

cal department. Mr Thomson is Up eldest son of Mr J. A. Thomson, of Mount Eden, -and was born in Aud---iatid. die resigned from a- position ,n ( the iMngastrate’s Court iin 1021 to undertake missionary work in India. Severn] years ago thy C-ochin State Government approached the S a,l vatien Army in South I ml’a to undertake the management of a leper colony which ; t was proposed to form at Kera tty.

'/’(me, v ()]■ nl a;■ y ye°-vs there had (been an agvlttm on an island, but the plac 71 was- cotri lered bv no means ’Deni, although; 1 A-here war, accommodation for over 100 lepers. At the new colony, there were constructed 10 blocks. eu> h h-a'-'insr .a-ciommoda.t-ion for 20, m!■ "i patients, and five similar blocks for ~-omc-. w : th a hospital. On January 29, 1931. 120 patient ß were transferred from the island to their new Romm not far from -the South-western Ghats. The -number of patients bug n to increase r-pidlv until there were over 300 -in the colony .the total Niter being reduced to 210, on -account of funds being short.

COMMISSARIAT OFF 1C MR

The comm'-ss-ari-'it is controlled by a woman officer, who has the unpoitant task of seeing that the r.ufferer-< obtain the most nourishment po s sible. Although many of the patients are nr-imed, mdeavour.s are mad? to afford nre-cfse for all, while some of the less serious oases do extra woik, and ea"n one anna, a I’ttle move than a penny, for about fisp hovus labour, Th e s-urn.s earned, although small, at ow the workers to make small P”rch'ses to supplement the fare provided hv th? institution. The pat-entr au ' c,,-Anvoired to cultivate hobbies, and quite a number keep pets. For the -i-h : ldren there is a day --i-001, lincluding classes in English. The -aim of the school R t n e-nahl e a«y children, who may he fit to leave the co’onv to . have some education and n. ch-nc-c to earn a livc’ihood. Elder hovs aiv,'given instruction in ca’T"ntry. A " Panchayat, or self-government committee, has a say in nVMI r.gement of. the aiwtitntmn. p'"fcnlarl.y as regards the conduct of p.atum The committee als n decide* the ho idays to be observed, rnd in this resoe-t the position is pe'id ai. Y- IT j' religions are represented, and a ho '- dnv for one f"th becomes a genera. one for all; patients.

morf, provision requiren

The leper problem in India is acute, and although there -are a number m -'sy-’ums and hospital-,, ’"anv inoie .oe required, Mr Thomson states. Relief work is being organised R; the Salem district. Madras Prom 1-re v. v here jt lias been ed’mated tin there -are a.t '-’.east 50.009 sufferers, ‘although the census for 1931 showed nn-v 1061 cases. Tn one street- nlmn. there were 200 lepers. RosulU weal*-, be much greater if sufferers went for tre't-ment.ia® soon as 'the symptoms became apparent, Ibut fear of losing employment and being cut off from society is responsible fev disastrous delay in many eases.