Filmmaker John Wilhelm's Triumph at Carville is an uplifting and illuminating documentary about a special kind of victory: the conquest of leprosy, one of the most feared diseases in human history. Originally an abandoned, antebellum sugar plantation near Baton Rouge, where seven people with leprosy were sent in 1894 to be isolated from the rest of society, Louisiana's old Carville leprosarium (officially known as U.S. Marine Hospital #66) was named after the influential family that includes well-known political consultant James Carville (who is briefly interviewed here). Eventually, the place evolved into a compassionate refuge for leprosy patients from around the world, with beautifully tended grounds, athletic facilities, and even a golf course. Over time, researchers at Carville were ultimately able to develop a multi-drug cocktail that is now recognized as an effective cure for the disease, which previously left its victims hideously disfigured and so socially stigmatized that patients often changed their names to avoid shaming their relatives. Combining archival footage and stills together with contemporary interviews of former patients, nuns, and physicians from the facility, Triumph at Carville offers a concise history of leprosy coupled with a specific story of one institution's own blend of faith, perseverance, and compassion, which led to the medical equivalent of a miracle. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Shannon)
Triumph at Carville: A Tale of Leprosy in America
(2005) 60 min. DVD: $24.99 ($54.95 w/PPR). PBS Video. Closed captioned. ISBN: 0-7936-9425-6. Volume 23, Issue 5
Triumph at Carville: A Tale of Leprosy in America
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