LEPROSY IN CHINA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3581, 7 August 1890, Page 2

LEPROSY IN CHINA.

Mgr. Chausse, Vicar Apostplio. of Kuangtong,gives t'ie following pa& ticulars concerning -the. disease oi leprosy- and the fate of its viotims in Chinaln the "provinces* of -Kjiangtang and- Fokian there _is scarcely a third-rate town-that Has' not a leper village of its own. .'These leper oanipa are aeually pitclietj near the chief centres of commerce itj orier. that the poor leper? way

o ablo to, ask alms froih* ricbor^, merohani's, aV'liiierty- iifr ># lowlJ'iblm -;b);. the .pbinesp, rlnw. 'bounty of a certain sum of of piastres to thesti unfortunatesufTerers, but, us its distribution is contlooted with certain ; superstitious rites, ; ; our ; . Christians cannot avail themselves his dole. There are, however, a \ few leper settlements which data . back to thel7th'century, and which havo received tins allowance and still receive it. without any.el these iites. HVhatiis surprising is that in these large settlements the general state, of health seems gradually to improve, eo that in some places the disease completely disappears, We havo two such villages wbioh are' tracedWk to Father Hicci, One of thorn domains 420 Christians, among whom there are only two lepers. The Chiuese physicians givo muoli attention to this disease. Sorno undertake to cure leprosy, provided it be not too far advauced. I know a Chinese, a man of some position, whose health to all appearances is v now completely . restored.' The treatment, - however, in his caso was i rather singular—a buffalo was killed, lie was stuok inside its body, and hid to remain in.it for some time.