Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 12.djvu/164

* LEPBACHAUN. 146 LEPROSY. the noise of his iianiiiicring. In such a case the liunian intruder must tix liis gaze upon him and induce liini, if possible, hy threats, to reveal the hiding-place of his reputed treasure. If, how- ever, the Lepnichaun can divert the eye of his caplor momentarily, he is able to vanish. The Leprachaun is the Celtic congener of the Ger- man Kobold and the Latin Incubo. LEPROSY (OF. Zcprosie, 'from ML. leprosia, from .I(k. Wirpfciiris, leprosis, leprosy, from Gk. (irpoO(T0ai, leproiislluii, to become leprous, from Xivpa, kitta, lei)rosy). A constitutional disease of chronic character, endemic in certain lo- calities, contagious through intercourse with an infected person, and due to the presence of the Itucillus leprw (Hanson); being characterized by the formation of nodular infiltrations and other nutritional changes in the skin and by an eruption. It is also callwl Lepra, Elephaiil'iiisis (irwcorum, Hatyriasix, Lcoiiliasis. as well as Zaruath in Hebrew, and Vchetie in Egjptiiin. Egypt is called the cradle of leprosy, and it cer- tainly existed in that country from a very re- mote period. On papyri found in the tonii)s of kings, descriptions of it are given. The Pa|)yrus Ebers. transcribed in the fifteenth century "u.c, describes and prescribes for it. Assyrian and Babylonian hieroglyphics relate to the disease. It has existed in India at least :iOOO years. Lep- rosy was described by a writer of 2000 years ago in China. Greece had seen the disease before Hippocrates wrote of it. It was probably taken to Arabia before the time of Mohammed. It was common among the Jews in n.c. 2G0. Areta^us, A.D. 81. found it spreading over Western Europe. The Romans contracted it from the Greeks; the troops of Ponipey carried it into Italy in the first century n.c' Pilgrims from the Holy Land introduced the disease into England (Simpson). Wales. Ireland. Norway. Sweden, and other parts of Europe became infected. Tli^ invasion of America by the disease cannot be traced. Segregation of lepers was practiced at a very early date. According to Herodotus, the Per- sians exiled lepers in his day. ifoses, following Egyptian customs, segregated lepers among the Jews. Canthie is authority for the statement that the Cliinese burned lepers alive. In the Middle Ages leproserics were established in France under chaplains, and the lepers were uniformly garbed and provided with a rattle, with which to warn others of their approach. In the time of Louis VIII. there were 2000 leper-houses in France, while the number in Europe, excluding those in Russia and .Sweden, ivas m.OOO (Marrow). In the British Isles isolation was enforced, lodgings in leper-houses, cowls, pray habits, sticks, and clappers being furnished to the unfortunates. In modern times strict segregation is practiced in almost all lo- calities where lepers are found. In the United States, Louisiana alone has built a special laza- retto for lepers, in which about 75 were segre- gated in 1902. The annexation of the Hawaiian Islands by the United States brought the Government face to face with the problem of caring for the lepers. A commission was ordered in January. 189S. con- sisting of certain physicians in the ilarine Hos- pital Service, to ascertain the facts regarding leprosy and enumerate the lepers in the eountrj-. Their task had not been begun when the Spanish- American War broke out. In Xovember, 1898, Dr. D. A. Carmichael, of the United States .Marine Hospital Service, made an extended re- port on leprosy in the Hawaiian Islands. There were then in the leper settlement on Molokai 034 leper males, 439 leper females — total, 1073, including 141 boys and 130 girls. Also of non- leprous children of leprous parents, 43 male and 18 female — total, til. Also helpers (Kokuas), non-leprous pers9ns living in the settlement and caring for relatives, 37 males and 30 females — total, 73. Also non - leprous priests, sisters, brothers, teachers, etc., 01. Grand total, 1207. In 1901 a systematic search for lepers was made in the islands, and all suspected cases were thor- oughly examined, all lei)crs being .sent to the colony. The new cases in 1900 were but 85 in number, as compared with 132 in 1890. At the Molokai settlement at the close of 1901 there were 909 lepers and 104 clean persons, who are maintained, fed, housed and clothed, and gov- erned at an annual expense of .$80,000. Under the new rules, visitors are not allowed to em- brace, kiss, or touch the lepers, as formerly, while they are allowed to visit them at anv time,, separated by a double wire fence. (See Ha- waiian Islands.) Leprosy is said to be prev- alent in Brittany and Savoy to-day. Rus- sian authorities report the scourge present in Livonia and Smolensk. The United States con- sul reports the existence of 200 lepers on the island of Teneriflfe, Canary Islands. Germany. Russia, and Rumania, in 1891, mutually agreed to give no passports ta lepers. At least 30 lepers are known to exist in Canadian cities, while the United States Marine Hospital com- mission has found 900 in this country. The bacillus of leprosy was discovered by Han- sen (q.v.), of Bergen, Xorway. in 1871. S'eisser, in 1879, after extended researches, confirmed Hansen's claims. The bacillus is a straight or slightly curved thin rod, non-motile, occurring singly or in pairs attached end to end, but not in chains. When stained, it appears like the bacillus of tuberculosis, but often takes slain in such a way as to suggest that the protoplasm is fragmented, the bacilli then appearing like cocci in short rows, darkly stained points alter- nating with unstained poiiits. The bacilli appear in very large numbers in the leprous tissue, espe- cially in the tubercular form, lying in bundles of several bacilli arranged parallel to each other, the bundles lying in various directions. Under the influence of the bacillus, nodules of new- tissue are formed in the skin or subcutaneous tissue. These nodules resemble granulation tis- sue, being made up of a fibrous stroma, in which are cells of various shapes. Bacilli are present in the tissue in large numbers, both in and be- tween the cells. The nodules are most common in the exposed parts of the .skin. face, hands, etc.. but may occur in any part of the skin. The mucous membrane of the eyes. nose, and mouth may be affected. More rarely nodules develop in deeiwr parts of the body. The nodules may be large or small. There may be extensive ulcera- tion with later cicatrization, sometimes produc- ing in the face the so-called 'facies leontina.' Deep ulcers affecting the fingers or toes may result in extensive loss of substance, 'lepra mu- tilans.' In the form of leprosy known as anaes- thetic leprosy the lesion seems to be a peripheral neuritis, due to the presence of the bacilli in the nen'es.