A DOCTOR ON LEPROSY.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4736, 12 March 1884, Page 2

A DOCTOR ON LEPROSY.

Dr Bakewe'l, of Chr.'sJchurch, and formerly physician to tli c Xsper Asylum in Trinidad, writes tc> the Southland Time? in reference to the rydicalous fuss lately made about a Chinaman said to be lying ill of leprosy at Riverion. ' He says :—" Leprosy may be contagious by inocculation ;, X oeliere it is, though some excellent authorities believe it is not. But it certainly is rot communicable except by actual cojfact, rod even then the disease will rot be propagated, unless* the person who is inoccu'ated is in a fit 'a*'..fb'-t •« ~tq* eive the poi.on, and reproduce it in his or her own sys! »m. I myself am an exemple in point: It" ok charge of a leper asyluii which con'jined seventy-S'x irmates; it w; sin a filthy s ;^te, and the patients brda'i been shamefully neglected. Nope of the attendants knew bow to dress tbe sore 5? properly, and at first I, dressed, tbem myself, just to sbow them hoir io do it. AU the time I was in charge of lepers, and for ye .rs alter wards when I, was inv'stigathg; tbe sabjet, I never objected to touch a leper, or tress his wounds or sores. To show how little danger there is of cetching leprosy it is only necessary o refer 'to a gent'eman well brown in this province (Canterbury) a ;d i Jdee J all over x'few Zealaud, who. tcs for years' been affected with this disease, and who mixes with business men; and goes about as if pothing were,fhe.matter with him; yet I have not heard of anyone catching lepro«y froja him. Should another case occur in yoar neighborhood, instead of boycotting tbe pi or fellow, X should be tiuly glad if someone would send him up to me, as I. am m po session of what has in many cr.ses proved a complete cure for the disease, and I should be quite willing to treat any c:se gratuitously. I have irrited many Chinamen afflicted with, leprosy."