Damien
FATHER (dä-myan'), (JOSEPH DAMIEN DE VEUSTER) a Bel' gian priest; born in Louvain, Jan. 3, 1841; in 1873 devoted himself to the duties of spiritual guide to the lepers confined to the Hawaiian island of Molokai. Sent on a mission to Honolulu, where he heard from the bishop the neglected state of the lepers, some 700 or 800 in number, who lived on that small island, he volunteered to establish himself among them; and from 1877 onward became physician of their souls and DAMOCLES but it still carries on a considerable tradė in exporting rice, fish (from Lake Menzala), coffee, and dates. The existing town was erected after 1251, but, prior to that, a city of the same name (more anciently Tamiáthis) stood more to the S. It was strongly fortified by the Saracens, and formed on that side the bulwark of Egypt against the early crusaders, who, however, succeeded in capturing it more than once. It was razed, and rebuilt farther inland on the site it now occupies, by the Mameluke Sultan Beybars. Pop. about 30,000.