European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 09, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                 hawaiian Leper Colony they Call Paradise Zahur Damien a Van str now bring Leonti Dond Tor Taia Hood build Kalaupapa t is. Philomena in the lot 1800. By Stewart Taggart associated press forty five years ago. When he was jusl14 years old. Issac Keao was banished to the Island of Molokai to die. Me was a  in by the Ocean on three sides and tall Cliffs on the fourth Keao and other victims of leprosy were confined to a Barren volcanic Tongue of land called Kalaupapa. Life expectancy Here was five to seven years. I was told Don t Ever let them Send you to Kalaupapa " Keao recalls. It was a bad  in March Keao celebrated his 60th birthday his disease Defeated by modern drugs. And although he was Ulven Freedom to travel 16 years ago Keao has no intention of leaving the place which in 1940 was expected to be his final Stop on a journey of isolation. This is  he says. We be come from rags to  today. Keao is one of 104 victims of Hanson s disease leprosy who remain at Kalaupapa Sulphine drugs have killed the mycobacterium Lepree in their bodies rendering their disease nearly incommunicable. Most residents of Kalaupapa Hansen s disease settlement now Bear Only the injuries they sustained when the disease was Active. The settlement s Small Hospital is devoted mostly to ailments associated with aging. The average age of the patients is 65. New com Oll pro a reported in Hawaii these Days average just Over 40 a year but most of the victims Are from other countries. 01 the 43 cases in 1984, Tor example. 38 were foreigners and two were from other parts of the United states. The disease is saturated with and overlaid with perpetuated fears and myths and superstitions says or. Oliver Hasselblad who retired earlier this year As head of the settlement s medical program. Public knowledge has lagged far tar behind scientific  most of the world s population is believed to have a natural resistance to leprosy. The disease is transmitted Only through personal Contact but  ,b. Join a a Tuiolo Lii Loren Henry Law and Bride at their Kalaupapa wedding. Precisely How is still not known. Hansen s Dueease primarily affects the skin mucous membranes and peripheral nerves. When invaded by the Bacilli nerves progressively lose sensation. Hands and feet or other parts of the body May not feel pain possibly leading to disfiguring injuries by cuts and bums and the like. It is believed the disease was introduced to Hawaii by chinese immigrants in the 1850s. In 1856. The Kalaupapa Peninsula was set aside by the hawaiian King Kamehameha v to isolate leprosy victims irom the rest of the islands populace. In the Early years few a cities existed and Hygiene was poor. The disease was later named after or. Gerhard Arnauer Hansen who isolated the Rod shaped bacterium in Bergen Norway in 1873. It was t until the 1940s, following research at the United states Public health service Hospital in Carville. La., that Sulphine drugs were adm mistred widely. The drugs have been Able to prevent most injuries and Render patients All but non infectious. Do spot Udvanc i in to Lmont isolation of Hansen s disease patients continued. It took until 196s for Hawaii to abandon it s Century Long practice of separation and isolation. Between 1865 and 1969. More than 7,000 Hansen s disease victims lived and died at Kalaupapa. Today patients at the settlement live in housing provided by the state and work at stale jobs. They become eligible to retire on Small pensions after 20 years of service. State health officials Monitor Hansen s disease Case on an outpatient basis at Leahi Hospital in Honolulu. Many receive treatment from their personal physicians admissions to Kalaupapa ended in 1969. After All of Kalaupapa s remaining patients die or move away the Peninsula will be administrated As a National Park by the National Park service which is trying to determine which buildings should be preserved Lor historic reasons. We need to decide what is the minimum number of buildings needed to Tell the sad Story of separation and isolation,." said Henry Law a Park service historic architect we be got about 198 structures on the priority  at the top of the list is St. Philomena Church built by father Damien de Veu iter. A belgian priest who went to minister to the dying at the lonely settlement in the late 1800s. The priest fell victim to leprosy and eventually died. He is now a candidate Lor sainthood in the roman Catholic Church. At one Point. Pope John Paul ii expressed interest in visiting the settlement. Among the other structures to be preserved Are several additional churches the settlement s store and Lighthouse and several Homes. Saturday. November 9, 1985 the stars and stripes Page 13