COINS of the LEPER COLONY at CULION and of the PHILIPPINE HEALTH SERVICE Almost No Reliable Inform
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i 5 6 MEDICAL NUMISMATIC NOTES, IX: COINS OF THE LEPER COLONY AT CULION AND OF THE PHILIPPINE HEALTH SERVICE Almost no reliable information exists as to the origin of leprosy in the Philippine Islands. The encyclopedic August Hirsch,1 for example, says that "besides Africa, the continent of Asia with the archipelagoes adjoining it forms one of the headquarters of leprosy at the present day" and he adds that the Philippines constitute a noted focus. It has usually been assumed that the disease was introduced into the islands, perhaps even in pre-Hispanic times, by the Chinese. This view may be influenced by analogy with the alleged introduction of leprosy into Polynesia by the Chinese in the i9th century. But an alternative hypothesis should not be overlooked: it is worth noting that native Philippine cultures and languages show distinct traces of Hindu influ- ence2 and that India has been for centuries a stronghold of leprosy. Perhaps both the Chinese and the Indians contributed. Throughout the period of Spanish occupation much was done on behalf of lepers by the Catholic clergy and by individual laymen. The Franciscans are said to have designated a separate ward for lepers in their hospital in i633. Much later the San Lazaro Hospital was estab- lished in Manila. At least two other hospitals for lepers functioned in the Philippines in the I9th century. A census of lepers in Cebu was made by one Lobres, a health officer. In i906, less than a decade after the arrival of the Americans, an extensive colony was established at Culion Island (I20 N. 1200 E.) in the Calamian Group, between Palawan and Mindoro. Regional lepro- saria and subtreatment stations were created subsequently. Those who desire to learn the early history of Culion Leper Colony, later called Culion Sanitarium, will find it advantageous to consult the volume 1. Hirsch, A.: Handbook of Geographical and Historical Pathology. Translated by C. Creighton. London, New Sydenham Society, 1883-1886, vol. 2, p. 13 et seq. 2. Philippine Islands. In: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1953, vol. 17, pp. 725-33. Bull. N. Y. Acad. Med. TON LEPER CULION COLONY AT LEPER COLONY CULL I 5 7 Fig. 1. Culion leper colony, 1 peso, 1925. Author's collection. All photographs by American Numismatic Society. which commemorates the semicentennial of the establishment.3 This publication contains the following curious information: Culion coinage. - To avoid the use of ordinary legal tender by the patients, the government in 1913 provided for a special coin- age backed by an equivalent amount set aside in the treasury. The first issue, of six denominations (i peso and 20, 10, 5 and i centavos, also 1/2 centavo), was of aluminum, as also was a fur- ther partial issue made in 1920. That metal was found disad- vantageous because of corrosion by antiseptics; when mercuric bichloride was used the coins simply disappeared. The more re- cent (partial) issues, in 1922, 1925, 1927 and 1930, were of nickel. All payments made to the inmates were-and still are- made in this money. At first many of the patients refused to accept it and law suit and even physical violence were threatened; not a little, in contempt, was thrown into the sea. In due course this attitude changed.... Three coins of Culion have recently been added to my collection. The first of these (Figure i) is a cupronickel coin of one peso dated 3. Republic of the Philippines, Department of Health, Culion Sanitarium: Culion 1906-1956, edited by H. W. Wade. Manila, Bureau of Printing, 1956. 109 pp. Much additional information will be found in Dr. Victor Heiser's book: An American Doc- tor's Odyssey, New York, Norton, 1936, pp. 219 ff. See also Wade, H. W. and Avellana Basa, J.: The Culion leper colony. Amer. J. Trop. Med. 3:395416, 1923. 4. Op. cit., pp. 11-12. Vol. 49, No. 2, February 1973 I 5 8 LEPER COLONY AT CULION Fig. 2. Culion leper colony, 1/ centavo, 1913. Author's collection. 1925, bearing on the reverse the seal of the Philippine Health Service and mint marks P and M, which signify Philippine Mint. The obverse shows the portrait of Jose' Rizal, the Filipino martyr. The second coin (Figure 2) is made of white metal and has a diameter of i9 mm. The obverse is marked BUREAU OF HEALTH 1913 and has a caduceus at its center. The reverse side reads CULION LEPER COLONY. PHILIPPINE ISLANDS and in the center, ½2 CENTAVO The third coin (Figure 3) has a diameter of 27 mm. The obverse reads LEPER COLONIES AND STATIONS. PHILIPPINE ISLANDS A portrait of A. Bonifacio is at the center. The reverse has a border inscribed PHILIPPINE HEALTH SERVICE. LEPER COIN TEN CENTAVOS In the center are the number io and the date, 1930. The quality has been designated as extra fine (XF). Bull. N. Y. Acad. Med. LEPER CULION LEPER COLONY AT CULION I 5 9 Fig. 3. Leper coin of Philippine Health Service, 1930, 10 centavos. Author's collection. Detailed information about the special coins and tokens issued in the Philippines for persons afflicted with Hansen's disease is cited in works by Perez5 and Shafer.6 Mr. Andres Cristobal Cruz of the National Library of the Philip- pines has had the kindness to send me photostatic copies of Coins, Medals and Tokens of the Philippines by Aldo P. Basso, Menlo Park, Chenby Publishers, I968. In this work the three coins described above are listed respectively as Nos. 2 12, 201, and 2I6. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I thank Mr. Andres Cristobal Cruz, Mr. and Mrs. Richard North, and the American Numismatic Society for photostats, photographs, information, and assistance. S.J. 5. Perez, Gilbert S.: The Leper Colony Currency of Culion. New York, American Numismatic Society, 1929. 6. Shafer, N.: United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands. Racine, Whitman Publishing Co., 1961. Vol. 49, No. 2, February 1973.