Hawaii Holomua, Volume III, Number 278, 8 August 1893 — Untitled [ARTICLE]

Yestrrd%y’s Advertisereonlained a oommuniealioo frotn Dr. A. Mourit*. treatiug on the subject of tho«*grei: aion «»f lepers. Wedonok iotend lo Uke p»rt in thediscussion of this importtnt question between the medical raen in the eounlrv, but ther» are a few points in Dr. Mouril*'s communication whieh seeui worthy of some noliee, even from a laym*n’3 poinlof view. The doctor says “leprogy wasan endemic here in 1886, and i* more to to-day. That is indeed prOmising to hear for »nybody who should intend in the future to make their home in Hawaii, »nd a postulate like th*t

ean only be »pt to injure tbe eountrv more than anyihin(j else whieh we ean iraagine But the doctor a assertion is only a pnje and simp e postu!ation to whieh we oniV ean an«wer “how does he know? The doctor then specifies five reasons whv he is in favor of effective 8**gregation, but none of the reas >ns carry uiueh weighl with any thiuki:ig man. The first reason of the docter is that “lepr»sy is «n incurab!e disease to datc. ’ 5* • are cancer, tubercular c»nsumption, syphiiis in it> tertiury l'»rin and other dise*ses, hniwe hear nolhing !»bout “effecti ve s-greg : »iion, v in regard to tiiose “iiicurab!e M diseases. The d >ctor s S“C »iid reasoo is that “leprosy ns it develops becoines a most revoltiog ai.d offensive d;sease to sight and smell. at.d the si'.fferer is a burden i to it ti.self." That is lruly r en! 3o tbe doctor meaue l i-»t ihere is justicein a g >vernment ad*»pting snch an undoubtedly hirsli, and cruel measnre as spgreg»tion, and it shouid h»- so, bec : tnse it is simply a sicsntss revo!ting to the deiicate nerves and esthetic sense of f he publicandour medical friend. Why not then go a step f»irther and rernove hy gpgregation «11 defortmd persous, and every«ne who tnrougli «ccident has been disfigured besid‘S all those who sufler from cancers (so frequently revoiting to sight a:;d smell) or from eyphilis. We think thed"Ctor’s second reason tbe weakestofall lhat he advances in favor nf segregition, and especially the latt«r portion, where he saye t!iat the “sufferer is a bnrden to himself.”That may 1»*, but ie he lees a burden to himeelf after he beeomee immured «t Kalawao, and is deprive<l of all ihe e >mfort and sympathy of th »se who are dear and uear to him? Reason No. 3 tells us that “were it not for eome furm of segregation here the thoughtful and c»i>8ervative elemect of the commuuity would be always in fear of the d;sea8e, and quite right!y too,as lepr< 8y spreads by ways unknown.” This savors too mueh of the omne ignotum pro ptrlculo argument, and we think that tbe thoughtful and conservaiive element will be more apt to believe in the wisdora <»f the British Government, and have faith in the eoneluaiona arrived by the eminenl medical commission whieh lately has given its opinion upou whieh the step of non-8egregat!on w»s takeu in India than togoaronndin a chronic hypochondr:«cal frame <»f mind, because the op’mione of a few loc«I practiliouers who nre qu«ted as anlhorities by the Advertis»*r and St»r, and who, t>esides Dr. Mi»nritz onsist of Drs Emerson, J. S, AlcGrew and C. B.\V three gent!emen wb«se loeal repul«ttou «s medic.il authorities m this commuuity,of conrse is snch that everybody at onee wil! how down bcfore their diclum. and wv»rship their d.vine insp r..ltou are different. M><un!z says it is quite right that Ihe thoughtfui eommunū}' should go roun»l in constant fe«r "b»cause Iepr.«y 8pre«ds by w.iys unkn-»w.i.” We here quute the Adverliser’s ediu»rial remarks on d.K-t.»r M.*uritz’s Iett-r, where the ed tor s.»ys in speaking ab«ut tbe report of the India C >nimission lhat “the same r. p »rt adtnits that leprosy spread» by ways and mear.s unknown. ThU if niee »cuiUifie languagc for a meāieal enmmiuion in thi* era o/ eiact eeienee and inreftigation such as bas preceeded the venfication and «nnouneemeni of almost every modern medical discovery.” Great 3cottI that is pretty rougb on tbe

Advertiser’8 medical correspondent, Dr. Mountz. and we think thal the editor oughl to be ashamed of himseif for sneering editorial!y at his • own c>.rresp»»ndent Keasons 4 and j 5 are virtually no reasons. but are siraply a rehash of Ihe D K.'lor s expressed opmion thal lepr**sy is nu»re endemic new than ev*-r w:tli Ihe additicn that tne disease e«peeial!}’ makes its rav«ges amonp ihe m»tives —a f«ct whieh v\e | should thiuk wo U :d be a matt»-r .»f ! C on.f rt l > the th"Ughtful and conservative foreign element | in the conidlunity. The D>»ctor fi:iishes his eommuniealion by >«y“Th> se who :i\e au.or.gsl lei>ers s 'on hee nne 5mpnssed w;lh the Urrible nature <-f ihe disease, and the inutilily > t man s . 11 r> t*> eluek it when onee est b!is:ud in the system.” A phy , »:ci;in who * comes t> that c.»nclusi. u sh.ni.d nul have ch irge * f ihe s> , lt!em»*..t o.i Molokai. A phy«oi«n who 8j>e:ik nhml the “inuti!itv >.f oiau s eff.rts” in comh«tii g the ternl-le d.se.is«.- is not the j»roi>er t»\r? nlo gain ihe c >i.fideiice (>f tlie unf >rliin«te victims of the dise«se nor of thepubiic whieh hasspent hundreds of thonsniids of dolI«rs to allevi:»le tbe suflering3 of the dise«sed und to make every eff >rt in ihe j»ower of nmn to eheek if not U» cure the terrible scourge.