"Leprosy."Tabers Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary. 19th ed. 2001..
"Leprosy." University of Maryland Medical Center. 24 Oct 2005. 6 Dec 2007.
Leviticus 13:1-7; 45-49Leviticus 14Numbers 12LEPROSYThroughout its history, leprosy has been feared and misunderstood. For a long time leprosy was thought to be a hereditary disease, a curse, or a punishment from God. Before and even after the discovery of its biological cause, leprosy patients were stigmatized and shunned. For example, in Europe during the middle Ages, leprosy sufferers had to wear special clothing, ring bells to warn others that they were close, and even walk on a particular side of the road, depending on the direction of the wind. Even in modern times, leprosy treatment has often occurred in separate hospitals and live-in colonies called leprosarium's because of the stigma of the disease. Leprosy has been as prevalent in various areas as certain times throughout history that is has inspired art work and influenced other cultural practices.
Leprosy Warning sign
MDT patient packs and blisters
World distribution of leprosy, 2003.The History of Leprosy is traced back to an Egyptian papyrus in 1552-1350 B.C., of course this cannot be proven; it is an imaginative guess made by modern scholars, and could be wrong. Indian writing dating to 600 B.C. describes a disease that most experts agree was leprosy. It doesn't appear in the records of ancient Greece until the army of Alexander the great came back from India in 326 B.C. In Rome, the first mention is with the return of Pompeii's troops from Asia Minor in 62 B.C. During this time period Lepers were look upon as the host of sin and leprosy was God punishing them.
Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease of the skin and peripheral nerves, caused by bacteria similar to that which causes tuberculosis. In an infected person, it may produce characteristic ring-shaped skin changes especially on or...