Showing posts with label leprosy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leprosy. Show all posts

Sunday, 3 July 2016

Leprosy

A. Leprosy in Malaya

Leprosy in Perak

Untitled
The Straits Times, 11 September 1905, Page 8
On his recent trip to the Dindings, the Governor visited the Perak Leper Settlement at Pulau Pangkor Laut. Various works suggested for the improvement of the conditions under which the Malay lepers are compulsorily segregated there were gone into.

... Thank you very much for this information. I believe that Dr Bearblock started the Anti TB Association of Malaya back in the 1930s to get rid of the disease from the state. Dr Bearblock trained Professor NRE Fendall (whom I am friends with). I know that Professor Fendall was a boy in Malaya and returned after the war to help train doctors and establish a Health System. If you have any information on Professor Fendall in Malaya it would be helpful. - Judith Cable, Canada, 28 January 2016

Leprosy in Penang

English class in Penang gaol
The Straits Times, 25 September 1952, Page 8
PENANG, Wed. - The Penang Adult Education Association will soon start an English class in the Penang prison under a woman teacher. The Association will also set up four classes - two English and two Malay - in the Pulau Jerejak leper settlement.

Leper camp inquiry
The Straits Times, 29 April 1954, Page 5
PENANG, Wed. - The Muslim Advisory Board here has appointed a three-man committee to investigate complaints from Muslim lepers in Pulau Jerejak Settlement. The committee consisting of Tuan Haji Abdullah bin Haji Salleh, Tuan Haji K. Mushir Ariff and Tuan Haji Abdullah Che Teh will visit Pulau Jerejak. Muslim inmates complain that they have not been well treated.

Leprosy in Johor

Untitled
The Straits Times, 25 January 1952, Page 5
A.S.P. MOHAMED AMIN BIN HAJI JAMIL of Singapore. talks to Koh Quee Koon, an inmate of the Tampoi Leper Settlement, after presenting a wheel chair, the gift of the Singapore Police Force to Koh. The wheel chair is beside Koh's bed.-Straits Times picture.

Leprosy in Kuala Lumpur

LEPERS' AID FUND.
The Straits Times, 21 February 1933, Page 17
(From Our Own Correspondent.)
Kuala Lumpur, Feb. 20.
Despite the slump the Chinese community of Selangor has subscribed $351
in small sums for the Lepers' Aid Fund organised by the management of the
Sungei Buloh leper settlement.

LEPER MENACE
The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 10 March 1934, Page 7
Anxiety Breaks Out in Kuala Lumpur
----------------------------------------------
The uneasiness felt by Kuala Lumpur people at the existence of a leper settlement on the fringe of
their suburbs broke out again today. Mr. Khan Ah Chong pointed out at the Sanitary Board meeting that the new hospital at Malacca had been completed and he asked whether the old Durian Daun hospital was now available for the opium-smoking lepers at Kuala Lumpur. This transfer had been suggested three years ago, he said, and the present site in Kuala Lumpur was unsuitable, being too near the town. This transfer had been suggested three years ago, he said, and the present site in Kuala Lumpur was unsuitable, being too near the town. The chairman promised to make inquiries from the health authorities.

Sir W. Hornell.
The Straits Times, 27 July 1934, Page 18
(From Our Own Correspondent.)
Kuala Lumpur, July 25.
Sir William Hornell, Vice-Chancellor of the Hong Kong University, is in Kuala Lumpur. He spoke at the luncheon meeting of the Rotary Club yesterday and visited the Victoria Institution, the Federal Leper Settlement at Sungei Buloh and the Institute for Medical Research. He expects to be here until Saturday.

LEPER'S SUICIDE
The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 19 February 1935, Page 3
Peon Cheng Ban, a 50-year-old Cantonese woman, found the advanced leprosy and pulmonary tuberculosis she had been suffering form for four years too much of a cross to bear. She had been confined in the Leper Settlement and was apparently contented with her fate. On the morning of Feb. 12, however, Cheng Ban was found by a fellow patient hanging from a window bar of the bathroom. Life was then extinct. At a Coroner's inquiry held before Mr. W. G. Porter, a jury of three returned a verdict of suicide.

Children's Sports
The Straits Times, 27 September 1947, Page 12
These pictures taken at the second anniversary sports of the
Travers School, in the Sungei Buloh leper settlement near
Kuala Lumpur, show various competitions for children.

Lepers Were Found Out
The Straits Times, 9 February 1950, Page 8
From Our Staff Correspondent
KUALA LUMPUR, Wed. - Several lepers were detected by National Registration officers during the registration period, and were sent to the Leper Settlement and Kelantan Hospital. The unexpected increase raised the cost of maintenance of the of the lepers in Kelantan Hospital. At the Federal Legislative Council meeting this morning, supplementary expenditure was approved to cover the additional expense.

Their effort
The Straits Times, 2 December 1952, Page 5
KUALA LUMPUR, Mon. - Members of the Sungei Buloh Leper Settlement were praised today for raising $350 for this year's Poppy Day Fund. It was described as a "wonderful" effort by Mrs. B. S. Regester, publicity chairman of the Selangor Organising Committee of the fund.

100 accept their pay
The Straits Times, 6 August 1958, Page 8
KUALA LUMPUR, TUES. - The 100 workers at the Sungei Buloh leper settlement, who have protested against having to pay a $7 school transport fee for each child, today accepted their July pay packet - "under protest." This followed an assurance from the Minister of Health, Mr. V. T. Sambanthan, that he would personally investigate their grievances.

Leprosy in Sarawak

Big problem in Sarawak
The Straits Times, 17 April 1953, Page 5
BRUNEI, Thurs. - Mr. H. MacGragor, new superintendent of the Leper Settlement in Kuching, told fellow Rotarians recently that leprosy was a big problem in Sarawak and its solution lay with the police. Mr MacGregor was formerly in Nigeria.

To visit Malaya
The Straits Times, 16 June 1962, Page 9
KUCHING, Fri. - Mr. Genarawir Mok, 42, a senior hospital assistant of the Rajah Charles Brooke Leper Settlement here, will leave by air on June 20 to visit the Sungei Buloh Leprosarium in Malaya.
After the visit he will go to India on a six-month Colombo Plan fellowship to study physiotherapy and rehabilitation.



B. Leprosy elsewhere

Leprosy in Hawaii

Untitled
The Straits Times, 15 September 1910, Page 6
Drs. Brinckerhoff and Curry and M. T. Hallman of Honolulu, have succeeded in isolating germs of leprosy. This means the ultimate discovery of a cure for the disease. The doctors are now attempting to make a toxin from the bacilli. Experiments at the leper settlement will soon be made.

Leprosy in Singapore

LEPER COLONY RENAMED
The Straits Times, 2 September 1950, Page 7
The leprosy settlement in Yeo Chu Kang, Singapore, will be known as Trafalgar Home. It was announced in a Government gazette last night. Dr. A. L. Greenway, will be the officer in charge and Dr. L. E. Davies and Dr. Poh Chee Juay have been appointed to the Leprosy Board.

Rotary chief for school ceremony
The Straits Times, 26 November 1952, Page 7
Mr. H. J. Brunnier, president of Rotary International, who is expected in Singapore on Dec. 7, will lay the foundation stone of the $62,000 Rotary School and Engelmann Hall in the Colony's leper settlement, Trafalgar Home, at Yio Chu Kang Road on Dec. 8.

Monday, 1 October 2012

Leprosy

I have written a post before about leprosy but I didn't have much resources then. This is an update on the resources. The link on Sg Buloh has the names of the British doctors who served at Sg Buloh from 1928 onward. A few of the early Malay doctors also served at Sg Buloh.

Resources on leprosy

CDC
http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/hansens_disease/technical.html#clinical

Stanford
http://www.stanford.edu/class/humbio103/ParaSites2005/Leprosy/index.htm

International Leprosy Association - Global Project on the History of Leprosy
http://www.leprosyhistory.org/english/gallery/gallerylepmuseum.htm

Culion Sanatarium, Culion Palawan 5315, Philippines

Dr Windsor Wade's collection of old books - Wade's Library

India map - Route of Commission

Indian leprosy gallery

Leprosy Settlement, Sg Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia (1930-present)

History of leprosy and research at Sg Buloh

Leprosy Sanatarium, Pulau Jerejak (1828-1969)

Leprosy Academic Network

Wednesday, 15 August 2012

Search 68



SEARCH 68
8 November 2005

Tuesday, 8 November 2005, 1.04 pm - 1.15 pm; 2.37 pm - 3.57 pm. 6 Syawal 1426 Hijrah.

I searched the Internet on 19 October 2005 for an image of Datin Seri Endon Mahmood but somehow came to the National University of Singapore Libraries and found something on leprosy instead. I continued my search on leprosy on 20 October 2005.

The search under leprosy returned the following entries:
  1. Leprosy Malay Peninsula, 1899 (1 entry)
  2. Leprosy Malaya (2 entries):
  1. The Leper Settlement at Sungei Buloh in the Federated Malay States, 1933
Medical Library, Singapore-Malaysia Collection
RA644 Lep.M
National University of Singapore Libraries
  1. Distribution of Leprosy in Malaya, 1966
[Microform] - 1 microfilm reel, 35 mm
RA422.5 1966 6
Stack #ME6
Kanak Shankar Dutta, Thesis (D.P.H.) - Dept. of Social Medicine and Public Health, University of Singapore, 1966
National University of Singapore Libraries
  1. Leprosy Malaysia, 1983 (1 entry)

Other interesting entries were the following:
  1. Field Observations on the Use of M3 for the prevention of Malaria, 1940
RA644 Lep.M
J.W. Field, J.C. Niven and J.F. Mitchell
Medical Library, Singapore-Malaysia Collection
  1. Health Problems of Malayan Railway System with special reference to Railway Central Workshop, 1966
[Microform]
RA422.5 1966 4
Arun Kumar Dattasarma
Medical Library, Singapore-Malaysia Collection
  1. The Epidemiology and Control of Cholera Outbreak in Kedah (1963-1964) with special reference to North Kedah, 1967
[Microform]
RA422.5 1967 4
Ahmad Shah Syed
Medical Library, Singapore-Malaysia Collection
  1. The Origins of Malay Nationalism, 1967
Central Library, Singapore-Malaysia Collection
National University of Singapore Libraries
  1. The Origins of Malay Nationalism, 1994
William R. Roff
Central Library, Singapore-Malaysia Collection
National University of Singapore Libraries

I e-mailed Puan Rugayah on 20 September 2005 to obtain some of these articles.


Acknowledgement

National University of Singapore Libraries
12 Kent Ridge Crescent
Singapore 119275
NUS Library INtegrated Catalogue: http://linc.nus.edu.sg/

Puan Rugayah Ali
Reference Lirarian
Perpustakaan Tun Dr. Hamdan Sheikh Tahir
Universiti Sains Malaysia
16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
E-mail: rugayah@kb.usm.my

Datin Seri Endon Mahmood
Wife of Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (Malaysia's 5th Prime Minister)
Died of breast cancer on 20 October 2005 in Putrajaya
Laid to rest in Precinct 20, Putrajaya


Telehealth Research Group
http://www.medic.usm.my/rnd/~telehealth
School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia

Wednesday, 23 May 2012

Chaulmoogra and leprosy

The chaulmoogra (Hydnocarpus kurzii) tree is treasured for its nuts and oil. The oil is used for overcoming leprosy lesions. Whether is it truly effective against leprosy remains to be seen.

Chemical analysis: Chaulmoogra oil contains potent bactericidal compounds - chaulmoogric acid and hydnocarpic acid. These acids supposedly 'kill' the mycobacterium that causes leprosy, Mycobacterium leprae. 
Traditional usage: The Indians and Chinese have used chaulmoogra oil for treating skin problems as well as intestinal worm infestations. Chaulmoogra oil is not effective in curing advanced stages of leprosy and synthetic sulfones are used instead.
Cold press: Chaulmoogra oil is obtained by compressing the seeds of the chaulmoogra trees. 
Indications: The oil is has bactericidal properties and has been used for treating eczema, skin inflammations, sprains, arthritis and bruises. 
Research: Research has been done to demonstrate the properties of chaulmoogra oil as a remedy for leprosy. Chaulmoogra oil may be used in several lotions, creams, balms, ointment, massage oil, lip balm as well as balm formulations for wound care.
Oil contents & uses: Chaulmoogra oil is rich in palmitic acid, hydnocarpic acid and oleic acid. The bark of the chaulmoogra tree contains tannins that are useful for reducing fever. The oil extracted from the seeds of chaulmoogra tree is used to cure a number of skin complaints, including different chronic conditions and scaly eruptions.
Other uses of oil: A liniment or ointment is prepared by blending equal parts of lime water and chaulmoogra oil and applied topically to alleviate rheumatic pains, cure leprous ulcerations, burnt heads as well as scruff on the head. The crushed seeds are applied in the form of a paste/poultice to heal skin diseases like eczema, scabies and ringworm, as well as to cure wounds.
Source: http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_chaulmoogra.htm
History:  http://www.leprosyhistory.org/english/gallery/gallerytreat.htm
Photos: http://images.kew.org/chaulmoogra, http://www.asnom.org/en/240_pharmacien_colonial.html, 
Sg Buloh & Pulau Jerejak: http://www.leprosyhistory.org/english/gallery/gallerylepmal.htm
Sg Buloh, Setapak & Singapore: http://unmakingtheasylum.wordpress.com/life-stories/
Sg Buloh - Valley of Hope: http://valleyofhope.blogspot.com/2011/02/leprosy-settlement-to-be-gazetted-as.html

Monday, 25 January 2010

PKKN 1930

Pusat Kawalan Kusta Negara (PKKN)
National Leprosy Control Centre

I'm putting some photos first cos my notes on PKKN are at home. I misplaced the PKKN photos and found them today, so I'm hosting them here before I lose them again. I will update re the interview held at PKKN on 6 July 2007 with then Director, Dr Virmal Singh.

Photos taken on 6 July 2007:
Main entrance to PKKN.
Staff parking nearest entrance.
Parking near the main office (turn left at the entrance).

Interview with En Abdul Majid at the Research Unit (Makmal Penyelidikan):
Interview.
Novartis MDT-Combi for adult leprosy sufferers (donated by WHO).
En Abdul Majid (PKKN) and Tuan Haji Affandi (HUSM).
The chaulmoogra tree? The chestnut-like fruit is used for its oil which is mixed with Chinese herbs as an ancient topical treatment for leprosy.
Hospital Sungai Buloh viewed from PKKN.

Lepers were housed at many places throughout British Malaya including Setapak Camp where Dr Travers was director till he retired in 1925 and returned to Great Britain. Setapak Camp became overcrowded and a new site 12 miles north of Kuala Lumpur was gazetted for leper resettlement. This was Sungei Buloh Settlement (Sungei Buloh however had another name which the locals used).

Sungei Buloh Settlement was constructed beginning 1926 and operated in 1930 (5 years after Dr Travers retired at Setapak Camp). The administration at Sungei Buloh was initially managed by British doctors and nurses. The lepers were mostly Indians and Chinese, with a few Malays. For eleven years (1930 to 1941), Sungei Buloh Settlement had never had a Malay doctor in-charge of administration but confined to other jobs including at the Research Unit (Makmal Penyelidikan).

Having worked many places before, an experienced and skillful Dr Che' Lah was transferred from the District Hospital Klang to the Sungei Buloh Settlement where he served as MO on 25 June 1941.

On 8 December 1941, 5 months after Dr Che Lah joined Sungei Buloh Settlement, 
the Japanese attacked Malaya. Soon Malaya fell to the Japanese. The British doctors and nurses at Sungei Buloh Settlement were all inturned in Singapore.  

There were no British doctors to serve the Settlement. Dr Che' Lah was the only Malay doctor who had more than 2 years work experience with leprosy. The Japanese administration then appointed Dr Che' Lah as the Medical Superintendent of the Sungei Buloh Settlement on Christmas 1943. Dr Che' Lah served the Japanese administration for almost 2 years till the war was over in September 1945.