Possible introduction of Huntington's chorea into Pacific Islands by New England whalemen

Huntington's disease (HD) has been reported in two isolated South Pacific islands, New Britain in Papua New Guinea, and Malaita in the Solomon Islands. The earliest presumptive choreics in these foci were born in the latter part of the 19th century, prior to the colonial period. It is known that these islands were visited by certain New England whalers in the precolonial era, and inspection of the crew lists of these whalers shows many men with surnames common to families in New England known to have produced HD individuals. In some instances, the name, age, and origin of whalemen correspond with those of known choreic individuals. It is suggested that New England whalemen carrying the trait for HD introduced the disease to these islands.