A Measure of Value: The Story of the D'Arcy Island Leper ColonyBetween 1891 and 1924, D'Arcy Island, near Victoria, B.C., was a prison for a society of outcasts. The press called them "The Unfortunates." Why? They had leprosy and they were Chinese. Their only contact with the outside world was a supply ship that came every three months to drop off food, opium and coffins. Follow one "unfortunate," Lim Sam, on his journey from China to Victoria to Nanaimo, and finally to D'Arcy Island, where this little society cared for each other, planted their gardens, and dreamed of going home. They lived and died unquoted and unrecorded. That they lived is acknowledged only by fifteen unmarked graves on a tiny island in Haro Strait. It is the author's hope that this book returns a measure of value to their lives. |
Common terms and phrases
A.J. Smith Alexander Sundy annual reports arrived beach Benjamin Bailey Bentinck Island British Columbia Archives Brunswick Canada Canadian chaulmoogra oil China Chinese community Chinese immigrants Chinese lepers City of Victoria constructed D'Arcy Island leper Daily Colonist article Daily Colonist reporter death died Duncan facility feet fingers and toes fire Fraser garden Hansen's disease Haro Strait Head Quarantine Station infected Island leper colony June 15 lazaretto leper colony lepromatous Lim Sam Little D'Arcy Island living medical health officer Milne Montizambert Nanaimo Nap Sing National Archives Nelson opium Ottawa Oung Moi Toy patients population probably provincial government quarterly supply Report to Victoria residents of D'Arcy responsibility for D'Arcy Sanitary Officer shack shore steamer stigma suffering Superintendent of B.C. supply run taken throughout Tracadie ulcerated Unknown Vancouver Daily Vancouver Daily World Vancouver Island veranda victims Victoria Archives Victoria City Council Victoria Times Colonist W.B. Scarth