THE PRESENT POSITION OF THE LEPER. 31 1 



the absolute necessity ' for isolation ; the fourth, "that the children of 

 lepers should be separated from their parents as soon as possible and 

 that they should remain under observation ;" and the sixth, "All theories 

 on the etiology and propagation of the disease should be carefully 

 examined to ascertain if they accord with our knowledge of the nature 

 and the biology of the bacillus of leprosy. It is desirable that the 

 question of the transniissibility of leprosy by insects be elucidated, and 

 that the possibility of the existence of leproid diseases among animals 

 (rats) should receive early study." 



The concluding paragraph of the resolutions that "we do not at 

 present possess a certain cure" for leprosy is melancholy because of the 

 hopes that are raised whenever a fresh treatment is suggested, which 

 hopes thus far always have ended in disappointment. The same result 

 has attended many "cures" vaunted by their authors in the case of other 

 serious and widespread diseases, but it is well to recognize failure as 

 early as possible and from the feeling expressed at this last leprosy 

 conference it is apparent that the treatment by Doctor Dycke's "nastin" 

 is likely to follow Captain Boost's serum into oblivion. 



It was my privilege two years ago, to see some of Doctor Heiser's 

 work in the management of leprosy in the Philippine Islands, and after 

 attending the Bergen Conference last year I was impressed by the fact 

 that the Government of the Philippines had anticipated the measures 

 recommended by the members of that conference by some years. 



At the conclusion of the Bergen Conference the delegates for Great 

 Britain and her colonies passed further resolutions at an informal 

 meeting which were to be submitted to the English Government as an 

 indication of the lines upon which, in their opinion, the management 

 of leprosy should be conducted. The following are the resolutions 

 referred to and they were unanimously approved by the eight British 

 delegates who attended the conference and are to be taken in conjunction 

 with the official recommendations passed at the conference. 



We, the undersigned delegates from the British and certain colonial govern- 

 ments, unanimously approve the resolutions adopted at the Second International 

 Scientific Congress on Leprosy, held at Bergen, August 16 to 19, 1909. At a 

 special meeting held by us on the 20th of August, 1909, we agreed to the following 

 additional resolutions : 



I. Leprosy is spread by direct and indirect contagion from persons suffering 

 from the disease. The possibility that indirect contagion may be effected by 

 fleas, lice, the itch parasite, etc., has to be borne in mind. Leprosy is most 

 prevalent under conditions of personal and domestic uncleanliness and overcrowd- 

 ing, especially where there is close and protracted association between the leprous 

 and nonleprous. 



II. Leprosy is not due to the eating of any particular food, such as fish. 



III. There is no evidence that leprosy is hereditary; the occurrence of several 

 cases in a single family is due to the contagion. 



