Dr. Hansen, sometimes called a lifetime student of leprosy, devoted his life to several of its aspects which included epidemiology, etiology, prevention and institutional management. Hansen was a brilliant and industrious student. When he joined the staff of the hospital for leprosy, he met Dr. Danielssen, the physician in charge, who later became his friend, science associate and father-in-law.

Leprosy was found in Norway in the middle of the 19th century and Hansen was already experimenting with it. He tried to transmit it to animals and to himself without success. He was ahead of his time in thinking that leprosy was not only specific and infectious, but caused by a bacterium.

The fight to eradicate leprosy from Norway was led by Hansen. He promoted the idea of isolation of patients in hospitals because it was the major way to keep the disease from spreading. He fought for stricter laws concerning patients with leprosy and the cases started declining in number. Although the decline happened partly because of improved living and economic conditions in Norway, some of the credit must go to Hansen for his efforts to control leprosy in that country.

ADJUTANT GENERAL ALLEN JUMEL

He was born at West Point, NY in 1835 and shortly after that, his family moved to Louisiana. Jumel attended Centenary College and later entered the Confederate service as captain. He was engaged in steamboating until 1876 when he elected auditor of the state. After serving in the Louisiana Legislature as Senator and Representative, Jumel was appointed Adjutant General of Louisiana.

It was during his tenure as a legislature that he played a part in establishing the hospital at Carville. In 1894, the legislature voted to buy a site designed solely for the care of leprosy patients. According to JA Jumel, Allen Jumel's grandson, his grandfather's life was threatened as a result of his efforts to help establish the hospital. The Daily Picayune reported in an article in 1894 about the arrival of the first patients at Carville that Capt Allen Jumel, then sheriff of Iberville Parish and a member of the Board of Control, welcomed the patients and after a comment was made that the surrounding community might object to the patients being at the home, stated that he would "stand by the almost friendless patients if it cost him his life."

It goes on to say: Jumel rode up on his horse to welcome the patients and Dr. Isadore Dyer. Captain Jumel made an impressive picture as he sat on his pretty mare. He has gray hair and a silver-gray beard, and looked a typical Louisiana lord of the land.

DR. ISADORE DYER

Chiefly through Dr. Dyer’s efforts, a bill was introduced in the Louisiana legislature providing for an annual appropriation of $10,000 for the funding and maintenance of a hospital for leprosy. Overcoming several hurdles having to do with fear and rejection from the citizens of two New Orleans suburbs, Dr. Dyer went forward with his plan of finding a distant place for the patients who where housed at different sites in New Orleans. He was successful in leasing the Indian Camp, and old sugar plantation which had been abandoned and was in ruins in Iberville Parish. Dr. Dyer accompanied the first seven patients, two women and five men, to Carville, their new home, on November 30, 1894. Because Dr. Dyer was the recognized authority on leprosy at the time and the first physician to introduce chaulmoogra oil in a US hospital, he was the star witness before the Senate for the establishment of a national leprosarium in the United States. His 21-page testimony was a strong plea for federal interest in the problem and carried weight with the committee. The hospital converted to federal auspices in 1921.

The Daily Picayune stated, "Only in our own era has the word ''eper' begun to lose its ancient connotation. The emphasis is now on the unfortunate human being victimized by one of the most insidious of maladies, not on the pariah or outcast. This enlightened change of attitude on the part of the public was not an accident. It was fostered by the unselfish and unremitting labors of noble-hearted men and women who wished not so much to save the world from contamination of the leper as the leper from the callousness of the world. Of such a stamp ... was Dr. Isadore Dyer. . .”

It has been said (and it is fitting) that this good-hearted physician in every sense epitomizes the high purpose to which the leprosarium at Carville is dedicated and that Carville is his monument

DR. GUY H FAGET

The sulfones, the first fully successful treatment for Hansen's Disease, were introduced at Carville by Dr. Guy H Faget, medical officer in charge of the then US Marine Hospital #66, in 1941. They changed the treatment and management of HD forever. Sulfones are still used as treatment for HD in conjunction with other drugs in today's multi-drug therapy.

The first sulfone tried at Carville was Promin by injection. Later, since the patients could not tolerate so many intravenous injections, it was distributed in tablet form by the name of Diasone (a sugar coated tablet) and Dapsone, a small white pill.

After graduating from Tulane University, New Orleans, in 1914, Dr. Faget made the United States Public Health Service his life's career. He interned at the US Marine Hospital in New Orleans, and served at Marine Hospitals in San Francisco, Seattle, Ft Stanton, NM, and New Orleans before coming to Carville.

Born in New Orleans in 1891, Dr. Faget was married and had three children. He spoke French fluently and some Spanish. For a few years, he served in British Honduras under the Colonial Service of the British government where he treated tropical diseases, leprosy included.

Throughout his professional life, he was a prolific writer authoring many publications with subjects ranging from tuberculosis, malaria, pneumonia, and Hansen's disease.

THE DAUGHTERS OF CHARITY OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL

The Sisters of Charity, as they are commonly known, came to Carville to take care of the leprosy patients in 1896. When the Home first started, Dr. LA Wailes was a physician who was alone taking care of the patients at Carville. After one year, there were 27 patients at the hospital and Dr. Isadore Dyer, president of the Board of Control, decided to request the services of the Daughters of Charity to nurse the patients and manage the home. Before the Sisters decided, they sent Sr Agnes Slavin from Charity Hospital, New Orleans, to assess the situation.

She wrote a very discouraging report about the deplorable conditions of the buildings to the superior recommending that the Sisters not be sent to Carville until some arrangements could be made for proper housing for them. Father Lennon, Director of the Sisters of Charity in Emmitsburg, MD, came to visit the Home as a result of the letter and decided that this was a mission which the Sisters should take on.

Negotiations began and a contract was signed on March 25, 1896. It stated that the Sisters would receive a salary for their services. Also stated in the agreement was that they would be responsible for the domestic management, the supervision of the household, culinary, laundry and nursing for the home.

In a report to the Board of Control in 1898, MD Lagan wrote: "It is with greatest pleasure we refer to the fact that our duties are lightened and our anxieties diminished by the knowledge that our plans and regulations are always faithfully executed by the Sister Superior in charge, and three others of that noble order, the Sisters of Charity. . . . . We cannot say enough in praise of our four devoted and heroic Sisters of Charity, who are giving their lives to this cause without other recompense than a modest allowance for clothing and incidentals. The world outside knows but little of the difficulties of their undertaking. Without ostentation, they have the courage to conquer the dreariness of the situation and find contentment in catering to the wants, alleviating the sufferings and devising ways of making the lepers committed to their care as happy as it is given such unfortunates to be."

The Sisters were the first social workers. They encouraged the patients to find ways to pass the time so they would not dwell on their condition. Some of them planted flowers, vegetables and fruits; others tobacco. Their aim was to keep them busy.

Another concern of the Sisters was the way they buried the dead patients. One of them, Sister Beatrice, wrote, "Before we took charge of them they were thrown like dogs into the grave the same day they died. I have insisted on a Christian burial as we understand it."

Through the years, a total of 112 Sisters have served in the capacity of nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, x-ray technicians photographers, and historians. In 1957, the highest award given by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare was presented to the Sisters for outstanding contribution to the work of the Department.

SISTER BEATRICE HART

Reprinted in part from a booklet found in the Sisters' Archives about Sister Beatrice Hart's life (no author, no date).

As soon as it was known throughout the Community that this new field was open to their devotedness, scores of Sisters eagerly solicited the favor of being chosen for the work. From the number presenting themselves, four were selected. Sister Beatrice Hart being recalled from the hospital at Lowell. MA, of which she had been in charge for 22 years, to head the little band. Born of a splendid Catholic family, in Boston, in 1841, Sr Beatrice entered the Community at the age of 23. The Sisters who went so quietly and so efficiently about her daily round of duties, ambitioned to do still greater things for the Master. Sr Beatrice herself felt that this "second vocation" was sent by God, and when asked what were her sentiments when she received word that she had been selected for the Leper Home, said, "When I offered myself to serve the lepers, I was sure that my Superiors would understand that I responded to the call of God and that they would accept me, I am not surprised and I experience a joy and a happiness beyond the power of words to express."

With her three companions, Sisters Mary Thomas Stokum, Annie Costello, and Cyril Coupe, Sr Beatrice sailed from New Orleans, April 26, 1896, on a river packet. A large delegation had gathered to see them depart for a destination mentioned only in whispers -- "The Leper Land." As soon as it becomes known that the Sisters of Charity are there, the lepers, now roaming at large, will take courage and come into our retreat. The very name of Sisters of Charity inspires confidence and that is what we need in our work. The Board alone could not command that -- the Sisters of Charity can."

In her first letter, Sister Beatrice tells of the welcome they received. "As we could see that all those who were able to be out were on the porches, we went first to these, and told them that we had come to stay, wishing to do all that we could to comfort their lonely, suffering condition. It was touching to see the happiness of these poor people when they caught sight of the Sisters. They almost wept for joy. "Yes, yes," I answered to their inquiries, "we have come to stay with you always, you need not be afraid, we shall not go back."

Our first day we spent in preparation for Mass on the following day. A large basement room was selected, our first care being to remove dust and spider webs. The Sisters of New Orleans had vied with one another to furnish ornaments for the altar. In the evening we felt quite proud of our work, bur greater far was our joy the next morning to see our little congregation fill the Chapel. Sixteen of them approached the Holy Table. The Chaplain addressed them in simple, touching words, telling them we had come to labor among them, to bring back some of the early happiness of home and mother into their sad, deprived lives, to make them happier and better, and when he bade them lift up your hearts, sobs could be heard throughout the Chapel and we could not refrain from mingling our tears with theirs.

Anything less than Sr Beatrice's all-embracing charity would scarcely have sufficed to make of "Indian Camp"a home for either Sisters or patients. Both suffered the extremes of discomfort. For the patients' use, a few old slave cabins, deserted since slavery days, had been patched up. These were located a considerable distance apart, on low, marshy ground covered during eight months of the year with a dank, rank growth of weeds. A part of each Sister's equipment was a little hand lantern kept ever ready by her bed to guide her to such sufferers as needed her attention at night. The only heat in the cabins was furnished by small fireplaces around which the patients sometimes burned their insensitive extremities in the efforts to keep warm; over these same fireplaces must be heated the water to bathe ulcerated feet and hands and faces. Cisterns furnished the only water supply and, in times of drought, water was brought from the Mississippi in a barrel and used with no other purification than such as was furnished by a few hours settling.

Much can be gleaned of the work from Sr Beatrice's letters. In May, 1896, she writes: "How vividly they recall to my mind the words of St Vincent when he said: 'Amongst the poor you will sometimes find those who have scarcely the semblance of a human being.' However, afflicted as they are, they are quite cheerful and enter into the simple amusements we try to provide for them." The victims are scarce able to do more than help themselves a little, and as it is impossible to secure hired help, the work devolves upon the Sisters. Often we are glad by the best management, to find time for our spiritual exercises.

Hardships and sufferings that could not weaken her indomitable spirit could yet take bodily toll. Towards the fall of 1901, her companions noticed with much apprehension, that Sr Beatrice showed signs of suffering and fatigue. Frequent attacks of malarial fever, dread visitant of the swamps, left her completely debilitated.

During the few days that intervened before her death, Sr Beatrice suffered intensely. Beyond their love and devotion, her companions could offer little in the way of alleviation. They were obliged to move her bed from one side of the room to the other as the rain, driven by the wind came in first from one direction and then from another. A doctor summoned from New Orleans confirmed their fears that death was fast approaching. On the morning of September 6, 1901, death terminated her voluntary exile. That she died among the lepers, a victim of overwork and malarial fever, rather than of leprosy, detracts nothing from her sacrifice.

It is good to know that the seed of this heroic life has brought forth much fruit. Public and private charity soon made more liberal provision for the patients, and gradually the Sisters saw real transformations. For the nursing and dietetic service of this number of patients there are 14 Sisters of Charity; Sisters who go about their duties with the same joyousness that marked their predecessors; Sisters who say simply, as said Sr Beatrice: "We think the patients are happier because we are here."

SISTER BENEDICTA ROACHE

Sister Benedicta Roache, Sister Beatrice's successor, was a staunch supporter of the patients. She would stop at nothing to bring comfort to them. The following story is representative of how energetic and forceful she was. After the water supply failed, sisters and patients had to haul water a hundred or more yards with no purification of it except settling. They were exasperated by the fact that they hauled the water in barrels on wheelbarrows and by the time they climbed up and down the levee, there was little water left inside. Because several letters of complaints went unanswered, Sister Benedicta went to New Orleans to speak to the Board of Control. The men told her that nothing could be done and the government disapproved of borrowing money. Realizing that she was getting nowhere, Sister Benedicta proceeded to tell the Board that she would be at St Vincent’s Infant Asylum until 4:00 pm -- if she did not hear from them by that time, she would make a public appeal through the newspapers. The funds were immediately borrowed! Such encounters were not common, Sister Benedicta usually was given her way.

When Sister Benedicta, who worked at Carville for 18 years, arrived here, the patients lived in run-down slave cabins to which the Sisters would wade through the mud to get to them when patients needed them at night. After they hauled the water in barrels from the river, they would have to heat it up over a fireplace to give patients their hot foot baths. It was an uncivilized wilderness.

Her humor would surface once in a while and when she spoke of insects which bothered the Sisters and patients, she said, "The bug of every nationality is after this Roache." (Her last name was Roache!)

About the forth of July Celebration, Sister Benedicta wrote in one of her letters: "The chief feature of the Forth of July treat was half barrel of beer for which the men had made request two months before. It had been so long since they had any that they forgot how it tasted. It is better to give them a treat once in a while openly as otherwise they manage to get it on the sly. An open treat keeps a good spirit among them. Pretzel, Lager beer, music and fireworks made up their day."

Sister Benedicta had a soft spot for children and when boys of ages six to seven years old came to Carville, she begged for "separate quarters for them to insure good morale, as well as physical care, and to prevent them from seeing the horrible ravages of leprosy in some of the cases. She demanded proper care and treatment for the patients writing numerous letters to the Legislature on their behalf. "Sister requested a refrigeration plant, more money for improvement, separate quarters for young patients, and at times wrote directly to the Governor himself! Loved by all, Sister Benedicta died at Hotel Died in New Orleans in 1931.