Excursions

Hansen’s Disease Museum

            We loaded the vans and navigated our way to Carville to visit the Hansen’s Disease Museum. When we first arrived to the location, we were stopped at a gate that was guarded by military personnel. The scenery around the location reminded me a lot of Illinois. There were rolling planes as far as the eye could see and factory type buildings much like what I am used to near my house. The air was very fresh smelling because of all the openness and being away from the big city. Before this trip and watching the video about Leprosy I did not realize individuals still could become infected with this disease. I always thought it was like earlier diseases that were cured with vaccines. I was really surprised to learn that some of the patients were still living there up until just a few months ago. Some of the experiments they tried on the patients to cure the leprosy are surprising such as fever inducing tests. The tour guide informed us they would put the patients temperature as high as 106 degree Fahrenheit in hopes of treating the leprosy and that patients were willing in the hopes of curing this disease. It’s really sad that these individuals had to live this way because so many people feared infection. It sounds like it was somewhat restrictive especially those who met and fell in love and were not allowed to marry until later in the 50s. I was also sad to hear that if a child was born to those within Carville they would remove the baby from the parents. I think it is a very interesting museum and it is an important part of our history and that we as individuals need to learn these things so we can be informed. I think it is definitely a great idea for those entering into the medical field because one day they may have a patient with this infection even though it is rare. I think the most important lesson we can learn from these individuals who had this disease is not to let fear turn us against one another. People sent these individuals away and turned them away because of the fear they had regarding this infection.

Whitney Plantation

            After we left Carville, we headed to the Whitney Plantation in Wallace. When we first walked into the front building I noticed a large wall with tons of colored post it notes with little notes from people who had visited the plantation. Next we were handed lanyards to wear that had little pictures of children and their stories on the back. I was handed a lanyard with the name Hannah Kelly. It gave a little background on her; she was a ten-year-old girl and worked in the house of the plantation owners. She nursed their children. We followed a tour guide through the plantation, the first stop being a chapel where we watched a video about the plantation and slavery life. Then we moved onto fields of memorials of slaves and the little information hey had on them. We were also able to see the slave housing, the masters home, the outdoor kitchen and the garden of angels. Reading the stories and hearing about what these individuals went through was heart breaking. We learned that little girls from the age of 10-years-old and up were sold as high prices because they were considered “breeders”, meaning they could start reproducing at that age. It is really sad that these humans were treated as property and nothing more. They were treated as equals but only help essentially. I think people should come to this plantation because it is very educational. It doesn’t shove the concept of slavery down your throat but focuses more on the aspect of educating individuals on the history of plantations. I think this experience shows how far we have come as a nation and the strides civil rights have made, but know there is still a long way to go.