A History of Leprosy

A History of Leprosy

by Thomas Burns

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​A History of Leprosy

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​As old as history itself

​Leprosy has tormented humans throughout recorded history. The earliest possible account of a disease that many scholars believe is leprosy appears in an Egyptian Papyrus document written around 1550 B.C. Around 600 B.C., Indian writings describe a disease that resembles leprosy. In Europe, leprosy first appeared in the records of ancient Greece after the army of Alexander the Great came back from India and then in Rome in 62 B.C. coinciding with the return of Pompeii's troops from Asia Minor.

​Misunderstood

Throughout 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.​

​Feared

​Even in modern times, leprosy treatment has often occured in seperate hospitals and live-in colonies called leprosariums because of the stigma of the disease. Leprosy has been so prevalent in various areas as certain times throughout history that is has inspired art work and influenced other cultural practices.

​Modern History & Science

​1873 - Dr. Gerhard Henrik Armauer Hansen of Norway was the first person to identify the germ that causes leprosy under a microscope. Hansen's discovery of Mycobacterium leprae proved that leprosy was caused by a germ, and was thus not hereditary, from a curse, or from a sin.

​Early "Cures"

​Until the late 1940s, leprosy doctors all over the world treated patients by injecting them with oil from the chaulmoogra nut. This course of treatment was painful, and although some patients appeared to benefit, its long term efficacy was questionable.

​Proper Care

​1921 - U.S. Public Health Service established the Gillis W. Long Hansen’s Disease Center in Carville, Louisiana, which became known as “Carville.” It became a center of research and testing to find a cure for leprosy and a live-in treatment center for leprosy patients.

​Good Medicine

​1941 - Promin, a sulfone drug, was introduced as a treatment for leprosy. It was first identified and used at Carville. Promin successfully treated leprosy but unfortunately treatment with Promin required many painful injections.

​Resistance

1950s - ​Dapsone pills, pioneered by Dr. R.G. Cochrane at Carville, became the treatment of choice for leprosy. Dapsone worked wonderfully at first, but unfortunately, M. leprae eventually began developing dapsone resistance.

​Success

1970s - ​The first successful multi-drug treatment (MDT) regimen for leprosy was developed through drug trials on the island of Malta.

​A Winning Combo

​1981 - The World Health Organization began recommending MDT, a combination of three drugs: dapsone, rifampicin, and clofazimine. MDT with these drugs takes from six months to a year or even more, depending on stregnth of leprosy infection.

​Modern Science

​Now - MDT with a combination of dapsone, rifampicin, and clofazimine is still the best treatment for preventing nerve damage, deformity, disability and further transmission. Researchers are working on developing a vaccine and ways to detect leprosy sooner in order to start treatment earlier.

​Father Damien

​St. Damien of Molokai, also called Father Damien, original name Joseph de Veuster, (born January 3, 1840, Tremelo, Belgium—died April 15, 1889, Molokai, Hawaii [U.S.]; canonized October 11, 2009; feast day May 10), Belgian priest who devoted his life to missionary work among the Hawaiian lepers and became a saint of the Roman Catholic Church.

​Calling

​Joseph de Veuster was born in rural Belgium, the youngest of seven children. He was educated at the college of Braine-le-Comte, and in 1858 he joined the Society of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary at Leuven, Belgium. In place of his brother, Father Pamphile, who had been stricken by illness, he went as a missionary to the Sandwich (Hawaiian) Islands in 1863.

​A Witness to Christ

​He reached Honolulu in 1864 and was ordained a priest the same year. Moved by the miserable condition of the lepers whom the Hawaiian government had deported to Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai, he volunteered to take charge of the settlement.

​Man for Others

Damien, known for his compassion, provided spiritual, physical, and emotional comfort to those suffering from the debilitating and incurable disease. He served as both pastor and physician to the colony and undertook many projects to better the conditions there. He improved water and food supplies and housing and founded two orphanages, receiving help from other priests for only 6 of his 16 years on Molokai.

​Passing

​In 1884 he contracted leprosy and refused to leave for treatment. He was originally buried at the colony, as he requested, but his remains were transferred to Leuven in 1936. His right hand was returned to his original grave in 1995.

​Imortalized

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​In 1965 Hawaii placed a statue of Damien in the National Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1995 and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.

Multiple Choice

Leprosy has existed as a known disease for hundreds of years.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

In the middle ages, leprosy sufferes were forced to...

• Ring a bell to announce their presence. 

• Wear special identifing clothing. 

• Carry large signs which read," Don't touch me. I have leprosy."

Multiple Choice

During certain times in history, leprosy was so prevalent it inspired artist.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Early leprosy doctors would use which part of the chaulmoogra nut to treat leprosy patients?

• the oil

• the leaf

• the roots

• the seeds

Multiple Choice

What was the major downside of the drug Promin?

• It required many painful injections.

• It was incredibly expensive.

Multiple Choice

The Dapsone medication had no drawbacks. 

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The first successful multi-drug treatment was developed on the island, ...

• Malta

• Madagascar

• Cicily

• Mali

Multiple Choice

Father Damien was never declared a saint. 

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Father Damien received help from many different sources. Everyone wanted to help.

• True

• False

​Works Cited

​History of Leprosy. History of leprosy. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2021, from https://web.stanford.edu/group/parasites/ParaSites2005/Leprosy/history.htm.