LEPROSY AMONG THE MAORIS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2709, 21 November 1889, Page 2

LEPROSY AMONG THE MAORIS.

TO THE EIJITOH. 3m, —Since F.ither Damien so nobly sacrificed his life by ministering to the wants of tiie lepers of Honolulu, the loathsome disease has come into prominence, an»l wa now daily read of lepers being found in nearly all parts of tho world. It is but a short time since the Prince of Wales stated that a leper was daily employed in one of the London markets, which caused quito a consternation throughout England, and the cisiily pnp»rs were beseifred by numberless irate correspondents, demanding that, immr.diato action should bo taken to isolate tho 'individual. In Now Zealand wo do not cot excited so easily, or we should have had a panic ere thi-s, for it is an undoubted fact that leprosy does exist among the Maoris, and has probably done so from time immemorial. I do not think it ass malignant a form of tho disease :is that from which the natives of the Northern Pacific suffer, but it is, nevertheless, true leprosy, aud in the Maori language is called ngere ngere. My attention has been called to this subject by Mr J. M. Frazer, the well known native agent and interpreter, who had a somewhat peculiar and yery unpleasant experience with a, Maori leper. Ho recently went tu Matakana to see a womau named , Aorewa, a Mauiigntnuturi native, who was visiting there. He arrived at tho settlement about tl p.m, just as it was dark, and called the woman by name. She came rorth and shook bauds with him. Mr Frazer says there was a ..peculiar feeling about the woman's hand that made him shudder, but why he could not tell. She invited him into the wharo, and made him comfortable for tho night, giving him a feed of potatoes and fish. Aorewu, peuled tha potatoes, but the only light there was was that given by the fire, consequently Mr Frazer could not sret a good view of tll« woman's hands. Next morning he noticed that Aorewa's right hand was minus two joints of each of the fingers, and one joint of the thumb. He at once askud her what was the matter with it, and she replied " ngiH't) ngere." The thoughts of that hand having pecVd the potatoes that he had eaten the previous evening lm<' such an effect upon him that he vomited, which can hardly be wondered at. The woman has now returned to Maiingutiiuturi. and I am told there is a man known as "Pukeha," at the i'.iinie settlement, wlm.sa feet are crradually rotting away with the disensu. Mr Frasur says tlmre is a half ciste worn in near Matakana th.it has lost bolh hands hv leprosy ; she is married and limh several children. It is high time that tho Government took stups to isolate these unfortunate people, or at all events, to st'ip them wandering about the country attending tangie, and I think the members for Waikutti and Waipa. should bring the matter before Parliament at its next sitting.—l am, etc., Public Health. Cambridge.