Hansen's disease (leprosy)
Caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, this illness is named after the Norwegian Gerhard Hansen who identified it in 1873.
Although many remedies were tried, no effective cure was available until the 1930s when sulphone drugs were developed in the United States. These were made available to patients on Peel Island in 1947 leading to the closure of the Lazaret in 1959. |
Isolation & Incarceration
Why quarantine people with leprosy, when there were far more contagious and potentially fatal diseases such as tuberculosis around, which infected and killed thousands of people during the 19 th century.
Regardless, the Government, under the Leprosy Act 1892 decided to lock people infected with Leprosy away from the rest of the community, denying them physical contact with their family or community. The resulting psychological suffering may have seemed far worse to many of the lazaret's patients than the disease itself.
A site plan (1) of Lazaret shows the location of the buildings which were still in existence in the 1990s.
Reference:
- Blake, Thom (1993) The leper shall dwell alone (Peel Island Lazaret Conservation Plan), report prepared for Dept Environment and Heritage by Robert Riddel Architect.
- Friends of Peel Island (2009) "going to the gums..."
- Ludlow, Peter (2000) Moreton Bay People: the complete collection. Available from author www.users.bigpond.net.au/pludlow/Downloads
- Ludlow, Peter (2000) Peel Island - paradise or prison? Available from author www.users.bigpond.net.au/pludlow/Downloads
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