KEY WEST LOU / KEY WEST HAS A WAY OF OUTGROWING THE BAD…..SO MUCH SO FEW ARE EVER AWARE

Many evils taint Key West history. Seemingly more than affect other communities. Could be Key West’s location. Stuck out as the nation’s southern most point, isolated in ocean waters from two different huge bodies. Little attention paid to the community comparatively speaking.

Most are unaware of the negatives that have plagued Key West over the years. Two stick out. One, the Ku Klux Klan. The other, leprosy.

I have written often of the Ku Klux Klan and how Key West was Florida’s headquarters for the organization in the early 1920’s. Its President a Key West resident. Lynchings in the years before commonplace.

As to leprosy, I have written little. However ten years ago in 2013, I did write a somewhat lengthy piece about it. What follows is a portion of that blog.

There is good and bad to everything. Many times the bad is hidden/forgotten. Especially in the instance where the something bad has turned with the passage of time into a shining gem.

It is the story of leprosy and Key West.

The Biblical plague of all time is leprosy. Monroe County, and especially Key West, had a large number of leprosy victims residing here. It was another time, another century.

Once as many as 100. One of the largest numbers in the United States. None of the victims caught the dread disease here. It was brought from the outside into the Keys.

Leprosy is not contagious. One human to another. Don’t laugh. Leprosy is spread by armadillos. I do not recall armadillos inhabiting this area.

Today, leprosy is treatable. Persons affected are no longer isolated. Since 1942, a drug called Putome is available to cure leprosy.

The problem still exists. About ten cases a year in the United States. I do not know when the last case was reported in the Key West area. Note however that two Key West doctors list in their areas of expertise leprosy.

Moving to today’s news. One item sticks out like a sore thumb.

Absolutely amazing how Trump gets involved in matters where others do not or are not permitted to enter. Reference the Manhattan Grand Jury proceeding today. A fellow by the name of Costello may testify at the request of Trump’s attorneys. Cohen has been recalled for rebuttal purposes, if necessary.

I have never heard of such occurring.

Enjoy your day!

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