Leprosy
p. 115 · Read in the full issue
Half Island Suffers From Leprosy
DR. E. H. BRIDGMEN, of Rotorua, NZ, reporting to the Leper’s Trust Board following a recent visit to French Oceania as a repre sentative of the Board, said that over half the 170 people of Reao atoll in the Tuamotu, is suffering from leprosy. As a result, the French Oceania medical authorities had decided to leave these people on Reao rather than to transfer them to the Orafara leper settle ment on Tahiti.
The islanders, said Dr. Bridgmen, are being cared for from a medical point of view by the local priest
who goes t 0 Tahiti about once a year t 0 obtain supp iies. The island has ong been recognised as heavily infected with leprosy and few trad ing vessels call there.