LIFE ON LEPER ISLAND

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 271, 31 October 1932, Page 5

LIFE ON LEPER ISLAND

PATIENTS ON MAKOGAI. CHEERY AND SPORT-LOVING. “A leper, and unclean 1” The re preach no longer applies as in past ages. Lepers we have with us to-day, but while the disease is just as grim, the regard for those afflicted has changed. “Neither race nor colour, neither creed nor civilisation know any importance on Makogai Island, for what have these things to do with lepers?” asked Mr D. L. Thomas, an Auckland business man who is organising secretary in New Zealand, and every year, with the approach of Christmas, makes an appeal throughout the Dominion for Christmas cheer to send to Makogai. “There are 600 on the island,” added Mr Thomas, “and if any community in the world may be said to live unselfishly, in peace and accord, it is that community. The more fortunate of the lepers, those who have friends who send them little luxuries, share them with all the others.”

WHAT THE LEPERS DO

Eight years ago, Mr Thomas said, he took over the work of organising secretary for the lepers in New Zealand, and since that time the patients on the island in the Fijian Group, 2| miles by three-quarters of a mile, knowing that their welfare was the active concern of someone, have altered their outlook. According to two of the sisters who look after the lepers, and who came up to Auckland recently, the change in those eight years has been marvellous. From an island of the lost, where the outlook was one of hopelessness, it had become one of happiness. “The patients have made a tennis court, a football ground and a cricket ground. Competition between the teams is keen. While some are confined to their beds through weakness, the majority are able to be up and about, and they lead an active life. They have fishing and have only to cross to another small island across a channel to be able to shoot wild fowl and goats. They laugh and joke among themselves, and it does not matter that some of their number are Fijians, and others New Zealanders, of whom there are about a dozen on the island. Each day each member of the community has to do a certain amount of gardening and perform some household duties. This is done quite cheerfully; and though it may seem incredible that people cured of leprosy and able to shake the dust of the island from their feet for ever, should want to return, yet such has been the case.” SOME RETURNED FOR CHRISTMAS. One of the sisters who was in Auckland last March told Mr Thomas how some 50 Fijians were pronounced cured and sent back to their home, and were forgotten in the rush of other events One day, some time later, when Christmas was approaching, the sister was informed that a small boat had quietly grounded on the island, and that some 25 persons had landed. She sternly demanded their business, for strangers, as might well be imagined, are not welcomed on the leper island. “Then,” said Mr Thomas, “she saw that they were some of those who had recently been cured. They asked that they might be allowed to come back and spend Christmas with their friends.” Well provided for, the patients are quite comfortable on the island, well housed and well fed, and, thanks to the generosity of New Zealanders, they they enjoy little luxuries which mean so much to people cut off from their kind. BRAVE NURSING SISTERS. Mr Thomas gave a list of commodities which in his experience have been found most acceptable. For women he suggested dress materials of a light kind, fancy cottons, a"nd all such similar things that women like to have with them. For the men, pipes, tobacco and cigarettes were always welcome, as well as light clothing and fishing gear. “And of course, any money is acceptable, for then we can buy what we like ourselves.” Such gifts are best sent to the home of Mr Thomas, at 14 Domain road, Moufft Albert. , On Makogai were twelve sisters, the majority of whom were French women from convents. One or two New Zealanders had gone from Auckland, but they also had to receive their training in France. In the old days the sisters went there and stayed on leper island for the rest of their lives. They were never able to leave. Of recent times, however, through the discovery of chalmugral oil, a vegetable tropical oil taken externally, and also injected into the affected muscles, the lot of the sisters had been made easier, and once every six years they are able to leave for a holiday. There is nothing spectacular about the bravery of these women, no glorious death in battle; but those who think will realise how hard it is to he daily constant for many years, in the little self-sacrifices of life. Of no one more truly than these women was it written, “Greater love hath no man than this, that he giveth his life for his friend.”