Abstract
Oshima island is located 380 kilometers south from Kagoshima, and famous in the spread of leprosy. The author and other three physicians of Keiaien made a survey in a city and five villages of the northern half of this island.
1) Two years ago it was reported that 214 lepers (130 men and 84 women) were found in 66.942 inhabitants. But in the last two years, 135 lepers were sent to leprosorii, overcoming many difficulties and 26 lepers died, 37 left the island and 6 were diagnosed as nonleper. 20 patients, therefore, remained in the island. On the other hand 69 lepers have been newly found in this survey, so that the total number became 89 (49 men and 40 women).
2) Table 5 and 6 demonstrated that lepers were sent to leprosorii in two years. 31.7 lepers in 10.000 inhabitants of the island reduced to 15.2.
3) In leprosorii, younger lepers are apt to be admitted, and older patients remained in their island as shown in Table 15.
4) In Table 16, the ordinal line shows the age of lepers in northern Oshima, including those inhome and Ieprosorii, while the dotted line demonstrated the age of lepers in Airu province in Kagoshimaken, where leprosy is gradually diminished even now 122 lepers are observed. More younger lepers mean active leprosy endemy, and more older ones mean end stage of the disease.
5) According to the type of the disease, C type is greatest in number (36.93% previous and 35.96% at present).
6) Among 69 lepers newly found 39 were male and 30 female. One third of them are macular cases and the age of 27.5% is under 20 years old.
