COOK ISLANDS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 544, 26 June 1909, Page 6

COOK ISLANDS.

,- 9 LEPROSY REPORT DEEMED ALARMIST. A RAROTONGAN VIEW. Mr. Carl Kohn, who is at present a visitor ,to Wellington, after 19 years' residence in, Earotonga, states that' lie. cable message from' Sydney about the spread of leprosy in the Cook Islands (which appeared in Thursday's paper) is "an alarmist report from tie •usual source—the London Missionary Sooioty." Mr. Kohn characterises the report as nonsense, - and the 'latter part (in which tie report says if severe measures are not taken the people are doomed) as preposterously ridiculous. "I nave lived in the group for nineteen years, and I think I know as much about native affairs,as the London Missionary Society," «aid Mr. Kohn. "TWo .'has, it is true, been leprosy in the group for, about 40 years, but the oases Wo been, confined to Peuhryn Wand, which.is from 650 to 680 miles away'from Rarotonga.'' Penhryn had perhaps a population of 600 natives, engaged in the cocbanut and pearl shell industries, but even there the lepera were not cm the mainland, being isolated on a little island. Mr Kohn visited Perirryn Island some years ago, w&en, there were 18 or 20 lopoiu isolated. It was a strict law among the natives that none should leave the island, and if ,any native did make a stay among the lepers he was never allowed to' return to the mainland—the bolt which lies;between the inner and .outer lagoon (for Vonhryn is a typical coral island). Tbeyy were/supplied with food regularly by.tho natives, .who went,, in. their canoes and -de-, posited provisions on the landing-stage without coming into contact with the natives. ."Less'than three years ago (added Mr. Kohn) there'was a case .of leprosy reported from Palmerston Island, about 330 miles from Rarotonga. ' Dr. Pomare, who was .then in the group, saw the patient—a youth of 18 years—and did not think' it was leprosy, and ordered .tk .boj t0;.,-be brought to .Rarotonga to-, attend .the London Missionary School there. After a considerable lapso of time the. patient did develop leprosy, and, I believe, ho was,.sent to Penhryn. About the same time;a French schooner came down' from Tahiti way with_a case of sickness'on board. Dr. Gatley t the Medical ; Superintendent, boarded; the steamer/ saw that the sick man had! leprosy, and reported the matter to Col. Gudgeon, who or> defed the master of the schooneT 'to take his charge back to Burraburra in the French J group.' Nocommuni-. "■ t ~'J..'.''..,, -. ..).... cation' was allowed with, ; -.thej ■ ship-, •. be-, yemd supplying her with fresh , provisions.''

"Those are, tlhe only oases," continued Mr. Kohn, ."that have como under notice; in. Rarotonga, bo you seo we • are as, clear ofit.iiore ■as you are in New, Zea-. land." •','•', ; r ..; As - ' instancing iia' love the Cook Island natives have: for one another, : Mr.' .Kohn says, that '■when tie. vis--.'rfcedvthe; leper''station at Penhryn ; some years ago thWe^was.a'.whole, .family tnerer-rfather, ; mother, ■ .^".'grown^up; • daughter,.and.a, young, boy.'They,oJl'lpoked sowell and hearty .-that he questioned tho man as to, what ; ho was' doing there...- Ho said that none were affeoted by 'the' disease;.'but:the daughter, and; out of 'their great loyo for her. sentenced' themselves to; lifeJong imprison'ment,. as. llhey, : would ;never . be ''allowed /to ..visit - "the •'.' maftland again;' On" examiningthe girl, one noticed • ■that' the whites of her • eyes-wore' yollow, but other- than 1 ; that no symptoms-:of tho dread . disease wore apparent. "'. Mr; Kohn said that the oases of leprosy then at the station had . been recruited from the Penhryn' natives..'.' Dr. Dawson, !thepreMedical Supermr !tendent. in.the; group;. is aakmg'fibe.''Goyernr' mont for an,'assistant, ' ' who will bo able to attend more to the '.re-' qtßresnents of 'Ifce na-. tives of the outlying islands. Mr.. Kohn thinks that tho request; is a very reasonable one, as the islands,are so distant from one another, and in a case of any emergency,at Rarotonga the Superintendent' might bo hundreds of miles away oh his rounds.