CARE OF LEPERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17570, 22 June 1925, Page 13

CARE OF LEPERS.

OUTLOOK HOPEFUL. ; ” The whole situation in regard to the leper is encouraging, and we can ray that the outlook is hopeful.” raid Mr \V If P Anderson, of .London, secretary of the Mission of Lepers, when interviewed yesterday. The mis .sion Las ::i its care about. 800 cures in different parts or the Empire, but good work is done also in an American branch. Mr Anderson is at present visiting Australia and New Zealand in order to stimulate interest in the work of caring for the leper. Already the countries have an interest in the work, for the mission is represented by committees in the important centres. But Mr Anderson desires the work to bo encouraged still more. The Mission of Lepers celebrated iis golden jubilee last year, and Mr and Mrs Anderson were sent out to visit the homes in India, the Far East, and Australia and New Zealand. They will return to England by way of Canada.. til giving an outline of the work clone by the mission, Mr Anderson sai l that last year it was found necessary to appoint a secretary for medical work in view of the remarkable developments brought about by the use of the latest treatment. This new nvetluxl of treatment is a good deal in advance of that used even live years ago, and the result is that him dreds of patients are getting better, a. few being discharged within a reasonable time. The cure is not actually a cure, but it has the effect of making patients non-infective and freeing them from all active symptoms. Time done can tell whether these results will be permanent. If a patient remains free for seven or eight year.-, it might be possible then to speak of a cure. In the meantime the important thing, to know is that patients were responding to the treatment They were recovering strength, becoming active, and doing light work. In the Korean Homes lepers wore being employed in erecting new buildings, making sleeping mats and cooking utensils, and engaged generally in light occupations such as healthy people could fill. It had to be remembered that ther*. were a great many chronic cases which dkl not respond to treatment, and for these the mission tried to alleviate suffering anti provided homes. However, in the fight against leprosy there was every hope that the less advanced stages of the disease could be dealt with effectively, a. thing never done in the past. Mr Anderson said that in China he found the Chinese Christian Church keen to do something for the suffering, and in three centres local committees had definitely promised to commence work. This was very important j because the stimulation of native j churches is an effective means of carryI ing the- work forward. ] “ The mission,” lie said, “is a min- ! istry to the soul and body, fighting | against an age-old scourge, and the j policy is one of attraction. The whole' j situation is encouraging, and the ouri look hopeful. The mission has not i reached the peak vet-, but it can see the path pointing that way.” TWO ADDRESSES. Sir Anderson addressed the congregation at St Andrew’s Church yesterday morning on the work done by the mission. In the evening ho spoke at St David's. Sydenham. Ho will probably visit Quail Island to-morrow and give a public lecture in ilic evening.